[PRV] The tidal caves (Andranis & CaliWolfe)

[Andranis]

The shift in the season was approaching. It felt like the days had grown hotter, even as they began the slow and inevitable march towards being shorter. Siobhan was still accustomed to late summer out on the open plains, where it was far drier. But she didn't begrudge their new-found home by the sea. She just had to figure out how to make it... Easier. The copper-haired lioness lay in the shade of a tree, eyes closed as she tried to keep from overheating. She didn't even have to move to feel toasty... She couldn't wait until she was more accustomed to this!

Siobhan wasn't the only one having issues with the combined heat and humidity of the coastal lands. Her mate, Natsu, had taken a different approach to the problem. After a good swim in the water, he rode in on a wave, taking a seat on the wet sand as his mane dripped in his face, a large smile on his face. The effect had been instant - He felt much cooler! But as he walked up the sand toward Siobhan, a couple problems became very apparent - His mane was drying in curls, his coat was drying out fast and he was getting hot again as a result, and sand now clung to his paws and legs. He shook the last remnants of water from his coat as he got closer, before taking a seat in the shade next to the lioness. After a moment, he looked up the beach toward the sea caves. "Care to go explore those caves? The tide's out, and surely they're much cooler than being out here."

The lioness stretched, letting out a yawn. "I suppose... But you've heard the warnings... It's best to go in groups of three or more. Who would we take with us?"  

[CaliWolfe]

"You could take me." Mzia said as she approached the two strangers.

She usually loved the summer, but today was just getting to her with how unbearable the heat was. She had always lived near the sea but Mzia had actually spent few full days on the beaches up until she had decided to join the Bahari more then a few moons ago. She preferred the forests and the shade the trees provided when it came to moving around and exploring. For relaxing she enjoyed the sea, but today the sand on the beaches was hotter then usual and it was painful to walk along them. Mzia needed something else to do, something better.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop or anything." She told them. "Honestly all I heard was you mentioning those caves." She looked over towards them. Could a monster really be hiding in one? "I have nothing better to do, so you if don't mind me tagging along I'd love to go exploring too."

Andranis

 

[Andranis]

The peach-colored lioness sat up, a smile spreading across her face. "Oh, no, we don't mind at all! It's actually created quite the perfect opportunity!" She rose onto her paws, shaking a bit of sand off one of her back legs. "It certainly removes some awkward moments of asking random passer-by if they wish to go to the sea caves with us!" How would they broach such a subject? And how would the askee take the question? How would they interpret it?

Natsu couldn't help but chuckle. "I would call that perfect TIMING more than a perfect opportunity!" He stood back up, then gave a slight bow. "I am Natsu, and this is my mate, Siobhan! I'm afraid we haven't had the pleasure of learning your name yet, my dear!" While the pride didn't feel huge by any means, it didn't mean it was easy to learn the names of everybody, especially when there appeared to be at least one very large family in the pride with many members. Many members that looked similar, no less...

CaliWolfe

 

[CaliWolfe]

She laughed a bit, it certainly would have been interesting to see them try and recruit a random stranger to go with them. For all they know they could have gone and asked a particularly mean lion, and that would just be an unpleasant situation.

"Hmm, yes! I agree. Perfect timing and coincidence that I happened to go out for a walk right now!" She smiled and agreed with the male.

"I'm Mzia. It's a pleasure to meet you both." She mentally repeated their names, Siobhan and Natsu. It was somewhat sad to say but Mzia didn't really know many people in her new home so far, so for all of those who she met the lioness was sincerely trying to remember their names. Even if she got them a bit mixed up now and again...

"So there's suppose to be a monster in that cave, hmm?" She looked over to it. She wondered what they'd do if they actually ran into the monster. Fight it? Run away screaming?...

Andranis

 

[Andranis]

The male's eyebrows went up. "A MONSTER? That's the first I've heard of a monster in the caves!" Of course, he hadn't heard much about them beyond they were potentially dangerous. He looked over at them, eyes now narrowing. "Now I wonder if that's why they're being called dangerous..." What kind of monster lived in sea caves, anyway? Maybe something with twelve legs, three heads, and ten mouths.. Of course where seven of those mouths were, he wasn't entirely SURE... He suppressed a shiver at what his mind came up with.

Siobhan looked at Natsu funny. "What's going on in YOUR mind right now? Or do I want to know?" Whatever it was, it didn't look pleasant.

She looked to the caves, herself, rising and starting to walk in their direction. "I doubt there's a monster in there... You don't know a monster when you first see it, after all..." She paused, tail twitching. "True monsters are creatures of depravity, and adept at hiding in a population. You never know who the true monsters are until it's potentially too late." One of her brothers acted absolutely sweet to everybody, but when around somebody of a weak will, he was... Not pleasant, to say the least. The other seven were genuinely nice. "They're probably dangerous because of all the water and how wet the rocks likely are."

CaliWolfe

And lo this reply gave me the mental image of a goddess with a mouth on her chest instead of her head...

 

[CaliWolfe]

Oh dear, had she said something wrong? Natsu looked terribly upset, for Mzia the thought of monster was actually kind of exciting. She had long forgotten who had told her the caves had a monster, and the possibility still remained that maybe she had just heard it in passing. Yet the idea of some secret hidden beast made her shiver and grin all at once with excitement.

The most likely scenario was that they wouldn't find the monster, even if it was in the caves. She hadn't thought very hard on it, but if the caves had water wouldn't the monster live in a deep pool? It probably wouldn't even notice they were in there.

"Hmm, true." She commented. "But then true monsters are less scary to look at then fake monsters." It made her think that maybe the monster they were hunting was just a lion. That was kind of a boring thought though, so Mzia shoved it aside.

Andranis

It made me think of a goddess with mouths all over her wings, and like, having eight eyes. (omnomnom Imma gonna eat you with my.. uh. feathers, and eyessssss.) xD

 

[Andranis]

"Well, there's only one way to find out!" The idea of a monster being in the caves actually made it more interesting. His curiosity was up, and he wanted to find out! What was life without some exploration, after all? He shot his mate a glance, grinning rather widely. "Oh, come now, dear, where's your sense of ADVENTURE?" He paused, then laughed. "I'll meet you two there!" He took off running, sending sand flying as he ran for the caves, suddenly not minding the heat quite so much.

Siobhan's jaw dropped as she watched her mate run off, then grinned. "Oh, I'm gonna get you, Natsu!" She looked at Mzia. "Shall we catch up to him and shove his face in the sand? And then onward to the caves!" She struck what she hoped was a dramatic pose. She felt silly, of course, and probably LOOKED silly, but that didn't matter at the moment. "Adventure waits for no lion!"

CaliWolfe

 

[CaliWolfe]

Mzia watched as Natsu took off, laughing at his sudden burst of energy. She then turned and grinned at Siobhan's silly pose, letting lose a small chuckle. "Hehe, yes, let's!" She laughed again. These two were awfully silly, but it made being around them rather fun. Plus they were letting her tag along exploring the caves, it made Mzia smile thinking of the duo's friendliness towards her.

She took off running alongside Siobhan, trying her best to keep up. Mzia was never a runner, especially on sandy uneven ground, but that didn't make the stretch any less fun to run across. Her feet felt like they were almost burning themselves but nothing that running a little closer to the water didn't fix. Jogging where the waves lapped against the shore Mzia suddenly burst into full run as they neared Natsu, and looked over to find Siobhan and try to see her intentions, if they really were going to shove his face in the sand or not.

Andranis

 

[Andranis]

The male looked back, grinning at the lionesses. At his pace, he was sure they'd catch up to him, but that didn't matter much. It wasn't about who won or lost, it was the journey to get there that was the end goal.

Of course this didn't work so well when he tripped on a rock and fell into a tide pool near the caves. Natsu sat up, pushing his mane out of his face, wearing a great frown and a pout. "Where'd that rock come from...?"

Siobhan slowed down as she approached the cave and the tide pools near it, watching and then loudly laughing as Natsu tripped on a rock and fell in one. She walked up to her mate, smiling at him. "It just jumped out in front of you, Natsu... I watched it!" She gave him a gentle shove, sending him splashing in the water, before looking up at the rocks of the sea caves. Ooooh, this would be good! Even this close, the air felt much cooler already. "Who's ready to go in?"

CaliWolfe

Pardon me while I kick my muse, my brain done did diddle off to YouTube, Picarto, Twitch, and Tumblr ;3;

 

[CaliWolfe]

Mzia let out a combination of a giggle and a snort at watching Natsu vanish into the tide pool for a few short moment. That was even better then watching him be shoved into sand!

"Rocks are wild animals, be careful, they might bite your toes off!" She grinned at the couple widely. Mzia was quick to redirect her attention to the caves however, looking at rocks that signified they were at the entrance.

She felt a shiver go down her spine. Oh yes, this was going to be some adventure alright!

"Well I am." She responded to Siobhan, taking a few paces closer to the entrance. Her tail swayed side to side in her excitement at the new journey before them. She even had goosebumps!

Andranis

No worries~

 

[Andranis]

A broad grin on her face, Siobhan walked in. The waves crashing in created a pleasant mist that coated her in salt water, and in combination with the darkness of it, she felt much cooler. Carefully, she placed her paws to not slip in, finding a spot to sit down. She looked over, eyes flicking first to Mzia, then to Natsu. "Well..." Her voice was loud, trying to out-noise the waves.

"I think whatever monster lions were worried about..." He shook his mane out, starting to soak water up more. "Was just the sound of the waves hitting the walls." He looked about, settling next to Siobhan. "It's certainly a monsterous sound!" One eye closed as his ears folded back, not enjoying having to yell to be heard over the sound.

CaliWolfe

Brain done did it again, amid "I had a reply thing open and then Firefox did funny things to it." I think we're about close enough to wrapping up, ya? :3

 

[CaliWolfe]

Mzia fought to hear her new friend's remarks over the thrashing of the waves against rock, but once she word their words she started laughing. Her voice rumbled through the cavern as she bellowed though Mzia didn't seem to mind. Lions getting all worked up over waves? It sounded kind of silly. Actually, it sounded pretty ridiculous. That's mostly because it WAS ridiculous. So she began laughing at the sheer silliness of it.

It had provided the trio with a brief but exciting adventure. Mzia was thankful for that, but at the end of the day it was still pretty silly.

After a few more chuckles she stopped her laughter and enjoyed the cavern for a few more lingering adventurous moments, satisfied with what they had found. It wasn't a monster but the cave was still pretty cool. With that in mind Mzia deducted she had enjoyed enough and then turned and motioned that she was going to exit the place.

"I'm going to go explore outside some more!" She shouted. "Are you two going to come?"

Andranis

SORRY. Yeah, I think we're just about done. c:

 

[Andranis]

She looked for a moment at the waves, crashing into the rocks. Her tail curled, eyes narrowing. If she just looked, she swore she could almost see something, but another wave and whatever it was, it was gone. Oh well. Siobhan turned, hurrying out of the cave as safely as she could. It wouldn't do to be dashed upon the rocks, would it? "Yup, coming! Come on, Natsu!"

Natsu followed behind the lionesses, going slower in the interest of not falling. It was much cooler in the caves, for sure, but he didn't feel safe in here. He spared the waves a glance, deciding then and there that they must be the monster in the tidal caves. It was, after all, worth fearing.

CaliWolfe

And I would call that a good stopping point! heart