Welcome to Gaia! ::

She called it the Wing Dance, and in her mind the flex and swing of her avian appendages were exactly that.

She enjoyed an occasional and very private tango amongst the ferns of these lands, as of late not running into many who enjoyed the same tendencies as she. It wasn't likely she'd find another lion today, the weather being a bit dreary and messy; but if someone were looking for a picker-upper, she was right around the corner.

Swaying and humming in an open area, Abayomi hopped from one foot to the next while her tail flicked to beats of the wind. She figured even if it were a bad day, the finding of Alastair meant for a celebration. (and for the Goddess this had to be immediate, don't you know!)

She couldn't remember where her companion had run off to, but knew he would return soon and in the mean time, to preoccupy her thoughts, she'd gather dewed leaves and flowers to string together necklaces and bracelets for the party of two.

((Short ;; Bah! Muse!))

The gusts of wind picked up just as the rustle began, and lost in the song Abayomi missed the cubs approach, twisting and turning to the storms breeze. High above them, the clouds gathered and became dark in color, the thunder pounding each condensed puff like the natural drums they were. Light filled the sky in bursts as the rain came harder, and still the white lioness sang and danced, tuned to the natural phenomenon. It wasn’t until a strong tone snatched her from the melody, her twirls ending with mild shock.

“Oh yes,” she replied, having heard his statement, fluttering dark lashes and golden eyes in his direction. Though it seemed rhetorical, she replied as if it were a question, a soft curve in her voice resembling the hums from before, “I am very happy, for I am a very, very lucky girl!”

Lighting up her wet features, a smile spread across her lips and sustained its position even while she spoke. Continuing, since she often did not know when to stop, Abayomi spoke again, “First off, I’ve made a new friend and been given a chance to enjoy his company; if not temporarily. Second, I have the blessed opportunity to meet you! This is just a wonderful day isn’t it?” From the skies a flash erupted, the threatening rumbles echoing in the distance.

“Just wonderful.” Her paws, which had been filled with layers of vine and flowers now unfolded and every item she created seemed to stack neatly in front of her. The white of her pelt had been dulled by the coverage today, but as she took up a bright orange bracelet and slid it onto her left ankle, her tone seemed to brighten as well.

Having lost herself again in the euphoria of this moment, Abayomi chuckled softly and said "I'm sorry, what was your name again? I've never met a cub before, let alone another God!"

He shrunk before her, with his golden features cowering in fear of what; she was momentarily oblivious to. It became increasingly apparent that the nature she had a rhythm with had taken a nasty turn, and as he spoke his name and asked for a shelter of sorts, she acknowledged the fine hairs on his head dampened drearily in front of his face.

Disregarding his first statement with a shrug, just as he had Abayomi perked to the inquisition and smiled eagerly. "Aw, yes follow me."

Hastily, her white form was prodding the vegetation aside, making a sufficient walk way for both lions. It was not more than five hundred feet away that her clearing became a direct path to a large den, empty of its inhabitants. She could smell Alastair within, his earthy fur rich in aroma and hoped he would not return at any point today. She enjoyed his company, surely, but Khuluma was here in the 'now' and she was desperate for introductions.

The feline turned her attention to the cub, quirking a brow with the same ever present smile and shimmied into the den with a dance. "This should do." she spoke loud, attempting to over power the storms gale. Soft pants escaped her pale muzzle as the goddess unfolded her paws again, releasing a set of bracelets and necklaces. She had hobbled her way to the den just to keep the items; figures Abayomi would.

"My name by the way is Abayomi." She had turned her attention to the vibrantly colored floral arrangement that, even on a dismal day such as this, seemed to glow with appeasement and total bliss.

In her daze, Abayomi spoke softly on a topic she was not all too familiar with, but questioned nonetheless, "If you don’t mind me asking, where are your parents?"

How sad, she thought, her features softening greatly to his solemn words. It had never occurred to her that a lion could simply awaken, no trace of a mother or father but simply be there, in the moment, alone. It was a very depressing topic, but as hard as Abayomi tried to indulge in the moment and simply let depressing be depressing, the Goddess tried to rearrange the mood; her powers hard at work.

Initially, and if not to totally confuse the cub the female let her At Ease feeling seep through to Khuluma, whether or not it worked she would have to wait and see. Masking her attempt, she replied to his question, a bit reluctantly, "I do have a family, but I don't know where or what has become of them since I left. I can't even say I know my own mother, or father, or whether my siblings are mated and happy."

This was her first attempt at pepping up a God, never having tried to use her bliss with the higher powers. She would let the emotion blatantly slip to the outer reaches of where she sat, but if it did not strike the cub, Abayomi would have to simply liven him up the old fashion way.

"You don't have to travel alone you know, there are plenty of lions and plenty of places you could go; and I'm sure a handsome, well spoken cub as yourself would be accepted anywhere." to this, she bowed her head in a nod, a smaller and much more intimate smile on her lips.

"And who's to tell you, that you have no family? Tell me, Khuluma, do you believe that they are still out there?

Where his happiness began, hers dwindled and though she had not lost the kindness in her voice, the apparent contentment seemed to have dissipated. The lack of her energy took heavy tolls on Abayomi, and the transaction could not last longer than a few hours, less she risk the chance of it being lost for good.

What was said had truth in it, however and made the lioness smirk regardless of her state. "You may very well have missed me indeed, and what a tragedy that would have been..." her tone dimmed, she felt exhaustion settle but was well enough to realize a few things at point. He impressed her, so young and so filled with fruitful information; an emotion that he seemed to understand was something she wasn't used to. This was only her second meet with a lion, and already she was taken by their presence, she had forgotten just how strongly she loved to have company. "Perhaps you are right. Friends can often become family, even when the lines are not blood related. I've never thought of it that way." Or maybe she had, but in the moment could not recollect the memory. Either way, she was indulging in his words, the way he spoke and the outlooks he bore. She was captivated more by the beauty that lurked inside, than the outer shell he strut in and feeling an attraction to him due to his manner of speaking did not seem so farfetched when he pronounced himself like a matured lion would.

"Hmm." She began, forcing the words to come even if she felt reluctant to respond. "You'd think anyone would want to stay with family, and those who don't must have some grudge or chip on their shoulder but my parents, and my siblings were all good to me. As far as my memory can serve I can not say they ever mistreated us or offered any less attention than they did the rest. I suppose I left because I couldn't stay; obviously it was not them, but Me." forcing a smile, Abayomi continued, portraying the pleasure that might be held by the following statement, "It's difficult to say, but I did not want to find residency in one area. I like to travel and explore, to venture off and meet new people just like you! I enjoy more than anything in the whole, entire world, to be the different outlook in someone’s eyes; the way out of a situation that may be troubling to them, almost like a beacon of hope perhaps? I like knowing I can liven up the mood of twenty strangers just by being in their presence...but I can never stay much longer than a few weeks or months to do so...There are always downsides to a great habit, you know?"

She looked at him, saw the twinkle in his eyes and felt a share of his excitement rebound back to her. There was a hope in him that seemed new, instilled within this moment and suddenly she felt accomplished herself. Staring now, with her golden eyes beaming and a continuous spin of her tail Abayomi spoke in response, her body fidgeting restlessly.

"You are so beyond your years! I am amazed at how alike we are, to travel and see different strands of creatures from all walks of life; A similar desire for attention, and not only for our own self indulgence but for the appeasement of others, at suitable times!" She lowered herself onto her belly, dropping her hype in unison for a moment. "I can feel when days will be grand, when something is going to happen that calls for celebration...I felt that today, you know. Intuition took me to the open field, and though I danced for Alastair, I stayed long after the rain came and thunder yelled for something more; you!"

Even if the odds of that seemed unlikely, and whether or not the cub really believed it; Abayomi knew. She could always sense the rise of a party, the reasoning to be giddy and euphoric, like a 6th sense she assumed the day would get better if she just stuck to her guns and danced to her song.


Khuluma continued, but the pulses Abayomi felt now increased the desire to sing, and parade around their environment. She stood up suddenly, shaking her pelt daintily and slid the flowers toward the cub, her eyes slit and a wild smile on her lips. "So incredibly right you are, those are my thoughts every day and yet I've never seen them in a brighter light. We will always find people, as long as we keep moving...and look good doing it, here, take some."

She twirled in the confines of the shelter, landing and panting gaily.

"I was, yup." She nodded knowingly, "And, of course! Indeed! That is one thing you'll just have to get used to around me, energy, but why not? It feels great to move around, remember? Sometimes I don't have to walk all that far in order to find someone, either!" Her hums were sounding again, a different song now but all the same lovely in its own way. She felt the rhyme fall into place, the storm outside brewing while indoors, the atmosphere was perfect.

"That looks great on you," she chimed, noting the flower laying perfectly amongst the gold locks. He seemed to shine in the dull lighting, like her white pelt he glowed in such shadows that the den played and for a moment she wondered why he should feel so lost in the world; some look for a lit path to follow, but he was one in himself. The dancing slowed as she hopped around the cub and sung, "There are plenty more pink pretties here, why look at this necklace!" Taking a green and bright pink flower, she gestured it toward Khuluma, the color a perfect match having been picked from the same bush.

She laughed, suddenly with the object in her paws and smiled as wide as she could manage, sitting up on her hind, poised. "We will be good friends, you and me. Whatever it takes, I'll make sure of it."

Dancing, she thought as her wings flapped once in between prancing steps. She was never taught to dance, but sort of learned to by following the beats in a song or watching as the leaves twirled into the air. She'd repeat the sway of branches from tall trees and hop like a toad would across lily pads.

She'd show him how it was she learned, though no teacher she hoped it would be enough. "Lets see," she began, stopping momentarily in front of Khuluma. "I cant teach you, in the traditional sense. There are really no step-by-step movements to follow. You see that bush?" Her paws pointed out toward the nature beyond the den. "It shakes, but not out of fear of the storm. I don't think, anyways; in my mind, the bush is moving with the wind. It follows the direction that the air travels and in its conformity; it dances." She crouched, low toward the ground and shook slightly, her wings extended as high as the ceiling would allow and splayed to show nearly all the lavender feathers that were attached.

"And if you look below that bush, sand is moving in spirals; like a tornado it spins and spins just as the winds direction changes. Funnels form, and the soil dances." In response, she leapt to her toes and spun carefully, taking her wings and wrapping her body within them. "Khuluma, it is all in the way you perceive the dance. No object moves the same, the bush shimmies while the sand spins and all the while they strum to the same beats. You have to find your own song to dance to! With a little push from the winds you can be dancing like nature intended you to."

Falling to her paws with a thud, the lioness breathed her exhaustion away and inhaled the exuberance that she always held. That was, with no doubt in her mind exactly how she saw dancing. Perhaps there were those who knew of the art and could instill proper guidelines but...for Abayomi, in what she loved to do, this was all that needed to be said.