Now that she had found her true name, Ketu was accompanying her back to the swamp lands, to her home. She couldn't wait to tell her family her new name! Soali wasn't sure when she should use it, though. Did she start using it now, when she finally knew what it was? Or did she wait until her return to tell everyone, and then their leader could so deem her 'Salima' once and for all?
And what about Ketu? She glanced at him, smiling. Would he need a new name to come into the pride? That's what her friend Aushi had said, because the older lioness hadn't been born in the Swamplands. She had just come to them as an older lioness and found her name that way.
"I think you need a new name, too, Ketu," she offered pleasantly, not letting the thoughts interrupt their comfortable walking. They were making their way back, slowly but surely.
The dark lion walked along beside the younger female with a smile on his maw, he was happy, a feeling of pure relaxation had settled upon him since he had agreed to return to the swamps with Soali, well Salima, he wasn't sure which name to use yet, he should ask her.
His ears perked when she spoke of changing his name, his ears twitched a little. "My name? It's all i have though." He paused and shook his head "well except for you, all I have is a name." Pursing his lips his brow furrowed as he thought about a name, "If I need to, I guess I will change it." He smiles lightly, his deep red eyes looking a little confused, but curious. What could his new name be?
Soali shrugged, beginning to second-guess herself. What if he didn't really need a new name? Maybe it had just been a special case with Aushi, so long ago. Not every new member needed one, right? Right.
But...just in case he did need a new name, they should have one. As a back-up.
"I'm not sure if you do, but it wouldn't hurt to have one just in case," she added with a bigger smile. "Let's see. What does your name mean now?"
Rolling his shoulders a little he continues to walk and considers her question. He didn't suppose it mattered what his name was, as long as he could protect her did it matter if his name was changed to mud? No, he was happy to have a name change for her.
"Ketu means dragon." he chuckles, his whole life was based around the idea that he was a dragon, a protector so large that he could care for anyone, the anyoen though had become just Soali. He was the dragon that protected her, he didn't need to protect anyone else with his mighty strength.
She nodded, remembering. "That's right. When we first met you told me you were a dragon," she smiled. It didn't really bother her if he considered himself to be some mythical creature. What if he truly was? They wouldn't know the difference, and if the time came that he had to truly become a dragon that was claimed to be within him, then they would be in safe paws. Or claws.
"One of my old friends in the Swamp lands told me that when you know your true name, your chest warms up at the thought. That's how she found hers, and how I found mine, with you so recently."
Ketu chuckles "I feel a fire in my chest all the time." He grins sheepishly touching the top of her head with his nose and taking a quick, hop step forwards "Why don't you give me a name? I'm sure you would pick something nice." he chuckles, he was happy to change his name for her, change his name to what ever she thought fitted him.
Soali giggled and blushed, affectionately bumping his head back with hers. Give him a name? "Hm," she thought. "You could have a name that meant...protector? Or, strong warrior or leader," she thought aloud.
She realized she didn't know much about him other than that, though. "What else do you like to do? For fun? Besides saving lions in trouble."
Ketu pursed his lips thougthfully. "Truthfully, I don't know, I don't rememeber much of my childhood, I only realy remember being an adult and wanting to protect those around me fromt he evils of the world." He raises a brow and shakes his dark head.
"I like to be with you, thats always fun." He chuckles flickering his dark tail. "I'm sure what ever you think of will be suitable. I trust you to give me a good name."
She laughed, almost nervously. That didn't really help her make the decision, for however confidence-boosting his words happened to be. Oh well.
"Hm," she said again, looking up in the sky. It wasn't too bright outside, really. The sun would probably start going down in her nightly ritual soon. But when she looked up, she spotted a twinkling. There were stars already coming out of the sky, even so early in the day.
What about a star constellation?
"Have you heard about the story of the Draco star constellation?" she asked him, glancing to him and then back down again.
The big lion tilted his head curiously, "No, tell em about it." He smiles a light and friendly smile, and tilts his ears to listen to her words.
A constellation of stars? They had names? Who knew! "I didn't know stars had names, I thought they were just, wlel stars."
She nodded. "Yep, stars have names. At least my pride kind of named them. We think they are spirits, but far away, even though they twinkle and make us smile and to not lose hope when we want to. The story of the Draco constellation is that once, long ago, there was a lion. Much like yourself, actually, and his name was Draco. He was a leader of a pride of lions that he protected fiercely. Everyone loved and admired him for his courage, his love, and his leadership skills. He was the one who kept everyone safe in a time of danger.
"However, like with all things, time worked against Draco. He grew sick at quite a young age (or young for a king), and slowly grew weaker and weaker. Then he passed on, and the spirits were happy to have him among them again. They took a bit of him back into the night sky, and placed him in a great constellation. We call it the Draco, because it resembles him in shape and memory. So I think that, since you two are so alike, your name could be Draco."
Ketu smiled quietly as he listened to her words, it was a good story, a story of a hero, of a protector. Giving a nod he licked the top of the little lionesses head and smiled "Yes, it's a good name."
He gives and affirmative nod and turns his gaze back to the road ahead. "Thank you, it's a name to be proud of my little flower." He purs, his deep red eyes full of adoration for the careing lioness he had sworn to protect.
She laughed a little. "Your little flower?" Even though she hadn't picked his name suggestion of 'Jasmine?' He must not have minded so much, then.
"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it," she replied anyway, lifting her head to bump and nuzzle him under his chin.
He chuckles and pads onwards, his tail held at a jaunty angle, he was ready to change his name, to join a pride to be with the one he loved.
"Lets go home." He whispers a perminant smile on his maw.
Soali smiled as well, nuzzling against his side as well as she could while they walked, and nodded in agreement. "Home," she repeated, leading the way to the place she knew best. And now it would be even better with him by her side.
