Black toed paws carefully pawed at the ground, as if uncertain about it. Kyouko frowned, tilting her head to one side. A moment ago, the ground had been water, and she'd been sinking. Hmmm...another vision, than. But what sort of vision? Shaking herself, Kyouko decided not to dwell on it for the moment. She had other things to do. Perhaps she could coax another lesson from Miss Na'ima. The blue lioness smiled slightly. Yes! That's what she would do! The oddness the vision had induced faded and she started towards the Chief Healer's den, humming.
Lelimeka had been settling into the pride, getting used to life without the constant threat of the demons. It was...nice. Very nice. And the dark lioness was rather liking being a Guard. It fit her need to protect well. And it was nice having so much family. She'd never had so many family members before! In the Mwako, it had only been her mother and her siblings and herself. Here...she had aunts, uncles, a grandmother, cousins...It was WONDERFUL! Of course, she intended to visit her mother and sisters in the Mwako soon, but...the Matembezi was her home now.
The lioness yawned and shook herself, ready to turn in now that her shift on the border was over. Red eyes blinked as she caught sight of dark blue fur...OH! Leli perked up. One of her family members she hadn't talked to yet! She'd seen the other female, of course...but not actually talked with her. She trotted towards the other, smiling.
"Good day!"
Kyouko blinked, turning her head to see who had addressed her. She stopped, curious...and then nodded to the other female. She'd seen the older lioness around before, and her mother had pointed her out as family...a cousin, if she remembered right. One of Shupavu's lot. One she hadn't Seen at some point, except maybe in passing. Kyouko giggled softly.
"A good day indeed. I haven't met or Seen you before. I am Kyouko. What's your name?"
Leli stopped not far from the other female, tail swishing back and forth. "I'm Lelimeka, daughter of Shupavu and Kokabiata. It is a pleasure to meet you, Kyouko!" The younger lioness seemed a little...odd. Seen? Was Kyouko one of those rare seers? "So who are your parents?" Perhaps the question was...a little odd, but she wanted to know how this girl was related to her! She only knew that Kyouko was related to her...not how.
Ah! So the other WAS her cousin! Kyouko's smile grew, and moved a little closer to the other. "My mother is Nyx, and my father is Katana'k. We're cousins, through my mother and your father. They're half-siblings." It was wonderful to have another family member, especially after seeing some of her family leave, and knowing that it wouldn't be long before Shini and Duo could no longer visit. Maybe...she would go with them for a time. Surely she could be of use to them!
Leli nodded, understanding their relation now. "That's wonderful!" She smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry if I seem excitable. Before I came here to find my father, I only had my mother and sisters as family. Having so many more family members is...amazing." Hopefully the other understood. She'd feel rather foolish if she didn't. "So what do you do in the pride? I'm a Guard!"
Kyouko giggled softly again, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. Family is nice, indeed. It's good to have you here!" Lelimeka seemed nice. "I'm a Healer. It's likely you may end up under my care at one point, than. So don't get too banged up." Kyouko hated seeing her family hurt...but healing was really where she was best suited for the time being.
Leli looked rather sheepish at that. "I'll do my best, cousin!" She didn't particularly LIKE getting hurt...but it was kind of inevitable when you were protecting those you cared for. "So you've grown up here? What was it like?" She wanted to know if it had been all that different from her own growing up...Well, beyond having so much more family nearby.
Kyouko smiled. "Well...it was peaceful, for the most part." She closed her eyes to think, to try and sort out what was really HER past, and what had yet to happen or was the past of another. "I had a lot of fun, and I got on well with my brothers. Mother was always there...and Father wasn't ALWAYS there, but he was around when he was." She giggled. "I liked when he was, since he's so much bigger than Mother and I. He was fun to hide under."
Leli listened, and smiled. It...didn't sound TOO different from her own childhood. Of course, the Matembezi wasn't under the constant possibility of attack from the demons, but she'd had a mostly-peaceful childhood. And though she didn't have her father growing up, she had the Mlisha as well as her mother. "What's life like for you now? Do you have a mate?" She didn't ask about cubs, of course, since Kyouko seemed a little young for little ones.
Kyouko gave her cousin a mysterious smile. "Life is well. I'm well fed, I have a job I am good at...and though I do not have a mate yet, it is only a matter of time before I meet my Shining Emperor." She giggled. "I've seen him in my dreams, over and over, since I was a little cub." And when she found him, her life would be whole.
"Your...what?" Lelimeka was confused now, the emotion showing clearly in her red eyes as her head tilted to one side. "So...this 'Shining Emperor' is your future mate?" The bit about dreams hadn't phased her at all. There were a few Seers in the Mwako'bi'Giza.
The deep blue lioness nodded. "He is my future mate. He's my Shining Emperor, because he has such a bright soul in my dreams, and he'll stand beside me." She looked in the direction of Na'ima's den, then back to Leli. "Walk with me? I was going to try and get another lesson out of Chief Healer Na'ima. I can explain thing better on the way."
Leli was still confused. How did standing beside Kyouko make her mate an emperor? The older lioness nodded and moved to follow Kyouko, hoping for some clarification. Because she REALLY didn't like when her head was all confused.