The pride was in turmoil. The king, the new king, was definitely not someone to trifle with. She had almost completely vanished in to the background of the pride. Liviyathan spent most of her days huddled away in the den she shared with Cheveyo and their young adolescents. She didn’t feel safe in the pride any more, yet she could not bring herself to leave. This was home, there was nowhere else like it. She had spent plenty of time in the outside world exploring, she didn’t want to go back to that. She didn’t want to go to their neighbours or away from the sea. She felt stuck. She loved the pride, she just wished her dalliance hadn’t seen her scorned quite so much in the pride she loved so much.
The dark lioness had come down to the water to do a little early morning fishing. The sun hadn’t risen yet but that was okay Yai liked the dark sands. She melded in so well with them. She had become used to hiding, or at least staying away from others when she lived in the pridelands. Here, they didn’t seem to care. She was glad of that. She and her mate had arrived on the beach in such a flurry, she hadn’t really had time to get to know her new home. The cubs that had been born on the sand had been welcomed and loved and now they were adolescents and a little more independent she was finding time to do other things besides look after cubs.
What the drippy marked lioness didn’t expect was to run in to another so early in the day already fishing at the shore. Or perhaps she wasn’t fishing. She seemed to simply be stood in the shallows looking out at the dim morning sky. “Are you okay?” Yaika’tongo called as she waded in to the waves.
Liviyathan jumped as someone spoke to her. She was out so early fishing as she was fairly certain everyone else would be asleep. The other lioness, dark as the night around them surprised her. “Oh.. Uh.. yes.” She mumbled looking down at her paws. She’d been away in her own little world. The sea bellied lioness sighed softly and smiled at the other female “I’m sorry I’m afraid I was away in my own little world.” She laughed gently and tilted her head “Sometimes I forget everything when I stare at the sea.”
Yai smiled at the other lioness “No, don’t worry, I’m sorry I surprised you.” She smiled softly wading up to stand beside the other lioness. “I can see why you get lost in the view though, even in the dim light it is a beautiful place.” The dark purple lioness took a deep breath and sighed lightly. “It’s a wonderful place, it takes some getting used to though, doesn’t it?” She paused for a moment after saying this and laughed to herself “Well I suppose if you were born here it is all you know..”
“I’m rambling.” She licked her lips “I only arrived her recently with my mate. I used to live in the pridelands, it’s a whole different place.” She nodded sagely to herself “I’d never seen so much water until I came here.” Again a pause came to her maw “I’m Yaika’Tongo, my hubby calls me Yai though, you can too, if you wish.”
Liviyathan smiled at the other female, she wouldn’t know she hadn’t been born here of course. Listening to her words calmed her a little and she pulled herself out of her reverie. The other female wanted to talk and seemed to be almost young and naïve despite her unusual look. “Liviyathan, it’s a pleasure to meet you Yai. I wasn’t born here either but I have been here for a very long time. Or it feels like a very long time. I sort of lost count.” She laughs gently her pink eyes settling on the other lioness.
“How is the pride treating you?” She tilted her head gently “Is it everything you expected?”
Yai smiled at the other female. “That’s a beautiful name.” She nodded softly “Oh yes, everyone has been ever so kind. My mate and I travelled here while I was pregnant. A lovely couple of ladies helped me deliver on the sand. It was a long journey but now we are here, it feels like home.” She sighed gently “I miss the pridelands sometimes but as long as I am with Ali the world just feels, right, you know?”
Liviyathan gave a nod. When she had met Cheveyo her world had come together. Her previous problems, her dalliance and her loneliness had melted away. “I do understand. It is nice having someone you can rely on, though I have to say it sounds a little terrifying travelling while pregnant.” She had never had that experience, she had born two litters in to the bahari’mtoto but she had never had to go much further than the sea or the jungle to feed herself and her unborn cubs.
Yai nodded “It was scary, but Ali took good care of me. He’s a great traveller, he knows a lot of the world.” She sighed gently “I love my babies, I love our children but there has neer been anyone so important to me as Ali is.” She laughed gently “I must sound like a love sick cub. I don’t mean to. He just, makes my world a better place.” The dark purple lioness paused for a moment “Would you like to fish together? I came down to get some breakfast.”
Liviyathan chuckled gently “That’s okay, it sounds like you have a wonderful relationship with your mate.” She had a nice relationship with Cheveyo, she couldn’t deny that but it sounded like Yai was completely in love with her mate. “A little fishing sounds like a good idea. I was out here to catch some breakfast. I’m sure we can be a little more successful together. Lets wade in a little deeper and help each other okay?”
Yai nodded enthusiastically and followed the other dark female deeper in to the calm morning ocean.
((W/c 1023))