They had spent the morning fishing together, she and her new friend. The sun had come up over the horizon bathing the beach in a warm glow. They had managed quite the haul together which they would soon split and take back to their families. The sound of others rising from their dens rattled down the beach to the sea where they lay drying their fur in the first morning rays.“This is nice” Liviyathan sighed softly as she looked out at the sand kissed waves. It was unusual for her to spend any time out in the sun really. Of late she had not felt welcome in the pride that was her home and had spent much of her time tucked away in the den she shared with her mate and teenage children. Yai had convinced her to just spend a little time out. The other dark lioness was so full of love and sunshine, it was hard to say no to her.
“You knew it would be, didn’t you?” Yaika’tongo laughed gently. She knew the pride was under a little turmoil, she had arrived just in time for it actually, but she didn’t feel the way some of the more traditional pride members did. After all she was the product of a fling and though she and Ali were mates, she had the feeling that perhaps he had, had a few dalliances before he had come home for her.
“You know, not everyone feels the way the king does, and maybe, just maybe it will get better. Greif is a powerful thing you know?” She smiled softly at the green and blue bellied lioness. Liviyathan was always so hard on herself. She wanted her friend to be happy. Mainly because she was the only friend she had really made besides the lionesses that had helped her give birth.
Her time had been spent looking after cubs, teaching them to love the sea but also be careful. She had a lot to learn herself, she had never really lived by so much water before. The pridelands had water, it was one of those blessed places that possessed watering holes pretty much all year round but the sea was a whole other thing. It was beautiful but could be deadly, or so she had been told. She had never seen it be anything but calm since she had been here.
One of the other lions of the pride had told her about a time when the sea rose up and washed away the beach and many of its inhabitants. She was certainly glad she had not been on the sands at that time. An angry sea would not be a pleasant one.
Liviyathan tilted her head to the other lioness. “I know you’re right, but my heart hurts. This place has been my home for such a long time.” She sighed softly. She had, had this conversation with her mate many times over the past few months and she always circled back to not wanting to leave. Not wanting to be pushed out of her home because of prejudice. It was very much a conundrum.
“I don’t want to leave but sometimes I think I should go. The cubs, they are happy here though, I would never ask them to leave with me and mostly they seem to be treated right. One of my eldest has decided to mate. Did I tell you that?” She laughs gently “With one of the royals of all things.” She sighs gently, she was happy for her daughter but at the same time she worried for her. Being so close to the family that ruled the pride. At one point in time, she certainly would not have worried. Now though, it concerned her. She hadn’t voiced her worries to her daughter, Kelpie was so happy, she was truly in love and she didn’t want to poke her nose in where it didn’t belong.
As long as her children were happy really she was happy. She just hoped no one would say anything to her children or to Shui about his choices. She would certainly fight, hard, to protect her children.
“Well that is wonderful news. You may be a granny before long.” Yai smiled happily. “I’m sure when that happens all other worries will fade away. New life is such a blessing.”
Liviyathan smiled and nodded to the other lioness. She believed that too, new life, any new life was truly a blessing. It was one of the reasons why she was so upset by the uproar the new king had caused. She had for the briefest of moments when she found out she was pregnant, been terrified, but that fear had faded away when she realised she would bring new little lives in to the world. Her oldest litter had no real father but Cheveyo had stepped up to the plate and he was their dad.
She always thanked her lucky stars that he was such a kind and compassionate male to look after cubs that were clearly not his own. Of course her second litter had been with him but he had never treated her older cubs any differently. “I’m way too young to be a granny” She replied finally a chuckle rolling over her lips. Though she supposed if cubs came from the blessed union of her daughter and her mate she would be a granny no matter what age she was.
Yai smiled softly, she was glad that Liviyathan could see the light in these situations. Glad her friend could smile and laugh and joke about the little things. “I suppose we had better be getting back. I have hungry teenagers to feed.” She laughed gently, her cubs were growing so quickly, and already they were growing tall and gangly, growing up. It was happening to fast but it was impossible to stop the passing of time. Gathering her portion of the fish they had caught in a small net made of seaweed the dark drippy marked lioness nudged her friend “Same time tomorrow?” She queried as she stepped away from her friend.
“Of course.” Liviyathan replied scooping up her own net and making her way back to her home in the dunes.
((W/c 1043))