It had been a few weeks since Dabadye's unsettling evening on the beach and by now the encounter was long behind him. He hadn't experienced any bad luck that might have been due to the mermaid's purse and the weather had held true, so he felt like he'd avoided angering the universe or the gods or whatever else was lurking out there. He hadn't had any trouble finding more ingredients for his rubs and drinks and making medicines had been going quite easily for him, easy enough that he found himself on the beach one sunny afternoon just because he wanted to be there, not for harvesting purposes.

Another lion was already on the sands when he arrived, one that he'd seen in passing a few times but had never properly met. She was a new face to the pride, one that had lived as a rogue for quite some time if he understood correctly, and ever the one to make new friends he didn't hesitate to walk up to her with a charming smile.

"Afternoon," he said happily. The lioness turned to look at him, then glanced around to see who he was talking to.

"Oh...me?" she asked, her voice subdued and gentle. Dabadye nodded, the grin still firmly in place. It made the lioness smile a bit uncertainly as well, but the unease in her eyes faded slowly.

"Ah...good afternoon, then. I apologize, I'm not used to being spoken to." The look on Dabadye's face must have prompted her to clarify because she quickly pressed on. "I mean, I've been a rogue for so long and on my own that I'm not used to having this many other lions around. It's...nice, in a way. To know I'm not alone."

"Oh, good," Dabadye said with a sigh of relief. He knew there were some prides that took slaves and so on, and to think that she might have had to escape from a terrible place and was used to being looked down on or ignored completely...well. That wasn't the case so he didn't have to worry!

"I'm glad you found us a suitable place to live. I know some rogues can't stand pride life," he said, his tone friendly and warm. "I'm Dabadye. Born and raised here, so if you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them."

"Oh, that's very kind of you. I'm Shukura," the lioness responded, bobbing her head in greeting. "It's such a beautiful, peaceful place, I feel like I was meant to be here all along." She turned to glance out to the sea, the not so distant islands visible thanks to the beautiful day. "I think everything has been explained to me quite thoroughly in terms of how the pride functions and ranks and such. I'm excited to see some of the ceremonies and rituals that take place."

"Oh yeah, some of them are great fun," Dabadye agreed. "And weddings are always a big hit. If there's one thing we do here it's throw a party." His enthusiasm made Shukura smile again and she glanced back at the blue lion with a much more confident expression, even if it was still soft.

"That sounds wonderful. I've never experienced anything like that." Although she'd been in a pride for a short time when she'd had her cubs, Shukura hadn't ever been to any gatherings, preferring to keep to herself. Having children had certainly made her be a bit more brave and once they'd left the nest, so to speak, it forced her to step out of her comfort zone and grow as a lioness. She was still nervous and quiet about things, but seeing how strong her children had become had encouraged her to do the same.

Dabadye nodded and moved a little closer to Shukura now that she didn't seem as nervous, keen to keep their conversation friendly and open. "It's a great time. There's music and food and dancing, all through the day and night! There's other ceremonies that have more solemn components but there's always a big feast and a party afterwards." He reached out with a paw to pull a shell that had washed up on shore towards him, rinsing it in the waves before offering it to Shukura.

"Shells are a pretty big thing here for decoration," he explained as Shukura took the offered shell, turning it over in her paws to get a better look at it. "You don't have to, but if you ever wanted to, you could definitely use them to hang up in your den or on yourself. Lots of lions ask the birds to weave them into their manes, or they even create little things to wear on your back when the right materials wash up."

"Thank you," Shukura said, spotting a small hole in the edge of the shell that could easily be threaded onto the old necklace she wore from her first pride. "I've seen some of the other lions here with quite elaborate decorations on themselves, I'd be delighted to start my own collection of sorts."

"Yeah, it's a great way to feel a part of the community," Dabadye agreed with a grin. "My mate has our den done up very nicely. I've got a few trinkets back there too for celebrations, bracelets and things like that, but I work with my paws a lot so it's better to keep them tucked away so they don't get damaged."

Shukura and Dabadye talked for a while yet, the blue lion explaining to the brown about other customs and superstitions they held. By the time the sun was casting longer shadows the two realized just how long they'd been chatting.

"Terribly sorry to keep you for so long," Shukura said.

"Not at all! I hope something I said will stick with you. I know it was a lot to take at once," Dabadye returned as he stood, stretching a bit in the sand.

"Yes, you answered quite a few questions I didn't know I had," Shukura agreed with a fond smile. "Thank you, Dabadye. You've been very kind."

"Don't worry about it. You'll find everyone here is like that," he said with a little grin. "Well, see you around, Shukura! If you ever have any questions or just want to hang out, let me know." He turned to head back to his den after that, leaving the lioness to continue gazing out over the cove.

WC: 1073