She had seen the priests and once they had given her the clean bill of health she had been introduced to the Pharaoh. Zuri had been surprised by such an introduction, but the pride was obviously close knit. She found herself with each new meeting, each new sight wanting to stay longer...maybe stay forever. The pride enthralled her and once she learned how to walk in the sand she felt much more at ease.
Her movements were more graceful and her energies were slowly being replenished. She looked at Shu and smiled brightly, "Well now the Pharaoh knows I'm here, I don't suppose that tour would cause any harm? Is there a place where guests can stay?"
“One of the dens in the outer ruins will be free. The dens inside the greater buildings are all taken but the ones in the smaller ones are just as comfy.” Khaem-Shu had waited until Zuri was ready to go, introduced her himself to the Pharaoh and hung around while the healers were busy. He’d said he’d show her around and to be honest, he was in a better mood than he’d been in a long while while he was in her company. Shu wanted to make sure she settled in. Maybe her visit would be a long one.
“Shall I show you around inside the buildings first, where the best pictures are on the walls, or down by the lake gardens? They are full of lotuses like I told you about.“
"Oh lets look inside first, I'm so curious to see those pictures." Zuri hadn't ever seen walls, the entire magical concept of a temple or a den that was so solid amazed her. She already loved so many aspects of the pride and she was hopeful she would someday get to spot a god or goddess.
Her yellow eyes sparkled with excitement, she looked much better then she had in the desert. Hydration probably had a lot to do with her uplifted spirits. She stayed close to Shu though, he had been the one to really help her and reach out to welcome her in. There was something about the older male, she wanted to help him smile, she wanted to be his friend and show him things weren't so bad, but she was at a bit of a loss never having made any friends.
He was oddly content to wander beside her, leading her from the rooms where the healers were through to the courtyard and from them into the main temple. It was all warm sunlight and soft shadows, every inch of stone that was undamaged (and that was a surprising amount, perhaps due to so many gods protecting the place) covered with symbols and pictures.
“This is the biggest hall of pillars. They’re kind of like stone trees – see all these pictures on the trunk and then up there, leaves? I’m no expert at reading them. Most of the pride don’t learn how to, even though that’s where soon much knowledge is written. That’s what the scribes and priests do, read them.”
Zuri walked after him her head turning side to side as she tried to capture everything. Her eyes scanned over the symbols and images and she paused before each one fascinated. "These are amazing...they can read them? That must take a lot of work learning how to figure them all out..."
She smiled as she moved back over to Shu and glanced around. "It's amazing isn't it? I've never seen a stone den like this, and trees made of rocks! Do you have a favorite one?" She walked over to one of the pillars with images of a river, fish, and crocodiles. She lightly placed her paw on a carving of a lotus. "I like this one." She moved her paw away quickly worried she might somehow harm the stone, though after so many years her gentle paw was hardly going to tumble the hall.
“I know that one. Seshen.” He placed his paw where hers had been only a moment before turning his pale silver eyes to meet her brighter eyes. His voice was growing less gruff as time went by. His voice was not gruff from not being used. But he was getting better at keeping his voice friendlier through speaking more to someone. Usually he kept to himself, now Sorin was gone, just learning and doing his duty alone.
“That’s what symbol that is, the lotus. This entire place has a name, it’s called Het-Em-Seshen, the house of the lotus. A house is a den that’s like this.” He continued explaining, before lowering his paw to a common symbol.
“I like this, you’ll see it everywhere. Ankh. It’s the symbol of life.”
"Seshen" She repeated with a soft smile, she liked the way it rolled off her tongue and committed it to memory. How amazing it would be to fill a den with lotus flowers. She lowered her eyes the symbol her was showing her, she had seen it repeated a few times as he had shown her around.
"Life, it's fitting it should be everywhere then, Ankh..." She repeated again trying to learn all she could. She looked at Shu wondering if he wouldn't mind her questions. He seemed to be a bit more open, at least now he didn't sound so...hard. "Why is it your favorite?" The question was out before she could contain her curiosity.
“I like the shape.” Shu’s eyebrows rose before he added. “And I like how there are images – I’ll show you – of it being handed from one person to another or raining down from the sun to the land below or being poured like water…”
It was a very common symbol. Zuri was going to see it more often than seshen at any rate, for Shu reckoned that the ankh was the most used of all symbols bar none. Perhaps she’d be happy to see the lake that was covered with real growing lotuses at least.
“Life is shown as a blessing and it’s all summed up in this one little picture. Why do you favour seshen?”
Zuri listened to his reasons and smiled nodding softly, glad that he was willing to share his view with her. She looked at the ankh with new appreciation, well life was certainly important. "I can understand that, and it is beautiful to see if being shared. People ought to share more...in the rogue lands I never really got to see anyone share, just families with one another. I wish I had met others, made friends, been able to share with them..." She felt her cheeks warm. "I'm sorry I'm rambling..."
She looked back at the lotus and tilted her head. "Well I like it because it's beautiful and open, it's like it's offering itself up to the sun. It's delicate yet strong enough to survive in the water where so many dangers lurk."
“Seshen is admirable. No wonder they named this place for it.” He agreed. Shu gestured towards the inside of the temple. The light inside was dimmer but because of this the pictures actually had colour to them in the corners and on the ceiling and places where the sun couldn’t bleach it away. For them with their cat’s eyes it was quite light anyway.
“When I was in the roguelands, I didn’t find it easy to keep friends. Everyone was too busy with trying to survive on the move or get to where they were going.” The grey lion said as they wandered, very casually trying to make pride life sound appealing. Shu felt a bit bad trying to persuade her like this. Zuri had just got here. But she’d only said she’d be here for a matter of days…maybe if he made it sound good –and it was good so he wasn’t lying – she’d say for a week or two at least.
“In a pride, you have a job to do, but surviving is much easier and you don’t loose others because they’ve had to keep moving. When work is done there is much more time to spend with others.”
"Yeah...I always feel like I'm wandering so aimlessly...I'm glad I found the pride, I think I'll stay a while..." Having a job, friends, a pride she really belonged in all sounded appealing, but they always had. What made this pride the one for her? She looked at Shu a moment, his profile against the backdrop of beautiful colorful images on looming stone walls. Maybe having a friend like Shu was enough reason to stay.
"It sounds wonderful, what do you do with your spare time? Maybe I can meet some of your friends?" She looked at him hopefully, eager to try and fit in a little better.
“He left.” And abruptly he scowled, ears back, but only for a moment as if he’d stood on something sharp that pained him and Shu did not growl this time.
“My best friend here left recently. His name was Sorin. You would have liked him probably. Ladies usually do…but none here enough to mate with him casually, so he left. Mates here are devoted to one another and Sorin was never one for devotion.” Shu explained, with a laugh that was both fond and sad. He would never forgive Sorin for leaving without a goodbye but Shu would miss him dearly.
“We used to go running or hunt or fight together, Sorin or I. Or when he didn’t want me to go with him, I used to like to learn about the pride or go swimming. I grew up in a swamp. I love the water. What do you do for fun?”
Zuri frowned as she realized she had upset him again, yes he had said that it was difficult to keep friends. She relaxed as the scowl left his face and watched as he spoke about his friend. Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the thought of casual mating, what was casual about it? It was special wasn't it? Devotion, that sounded better and she smiled.
"I'm sorry he's gone you two sounded close..." She softly touched his paw the way he had touched hers in comfort before. "I dunno what good I'd be in a fight but if you ever want I can go hunting or swimming with you. I really like to swim, the water is so nice, so relaxing. For fun though climbing is my favorite."
“If you like climbing, I must show you the mountains and the trees down by the river…and for swimming there is the river again or the lake. Though as the Pharaoh said earlier the island there is sacred and we must not step paw there.”
Zuri would look beautiful wading through the lotuses of the lake or parting the rushes of the riverbank. Perhaps he could take her there when others were about? There were plenty of young males her age – and the age he himself appeared to be – in the pride. Maybe he could keep her here with some help from them. Shu didn’t even think of pursing her himself, for they’d only just met and he’d discounted romance from his own life a while ago. But a lovey thing like herself..one of the other males was sure to be interested and if so, aim to entice her to stay forever.
“It’s better he went really. It only caused strife for others and disappointment for him to seek a mate rather than a wife.” An usual word. Not many prides had a concept of marriage.
"Oh I'd love to see the mountains, and yes we should go swimming sometime Shu I would like that. Not near the island of course, but maybe along the bank of the river." She smiled brightly, maybe Shu was already her friend? He wanted to do things with her after all and that made her feel better, less alone.
She tilted her head confused "Whats a wife?" She knew what mates were they were a special pair that stayed together but she had never heard of a wife."
“A wife is …well. You know what taking a mate is? Well here when you take a mate you also you get married, that is you vow before the whole pride, the whole world, that you are a pair that will be together and act as equal partners. It is not something to be taken lightly because hopefully you will together all your lives and in the afterlife beyond. Some swear this by their very souls and ask for blessings from the priests so that the gods might smile upon them too. They can have celebrations called weddings and it’s a happy occasion.”
Shu didn’t think he’d ever spoken so much in all his life as he lead her around the more colourful areas inside and longed for this long explaination to be over with. He hoped he was explaining this right. If not and his plan worked however, she’d find out from a teacher sometime. Everyone who came to live here ended up in lessons until they understood the main parts of the culture like marriages and such.
“A wife is a female in such a partnership and a husband a male. Usually you get one of each but more rarely you’ll get two husbands sworn to each other. I’d never heard of it before I came here and I was a bit…hesitant to accept it but there is a pair of husbands, two lions, called Ilori and Sepoko here who are as much in love with one another than any lioness and lion ever were.”
Hey he was born in the Swamplands. He had a few prejudices. At least he’d accepted the pair of lions being in love. Shu wasn’t touching the issue of hybrids yet though. Abomination was still the only word for it even though he kept that to himself. But two males in love? No problem any more.
"That sounds wonderful, so their mates for life because of their marriage? I think thats how all mates should be, married husband and wife...or uh..." She blushed still confused by the idea of two males or two females. "Or uh husband and husband or wife and wife...I guess as long as they love each other and stay together forever it doesn't really matter." Yes Zuri was naive, but along with such sweetness came a very open mind.
"Do you think you'll ever get married?" She asked him curiosity again driving her before she could think it through, she was already imagining how wonderful it would be to have a special someone to live the rest of her life with. What a nice change that would be from her lonely wanderings.
He smiled at her sweetness and didn’t even sound grumpy answering her.
“I doubt it. I never did take a mate when I was wandering and I can’t see anyone here wanting me. Only adults may get married in the pride and while the pride respect me as an adult, because they know how long I’ve lived and who my grandfather is, I don’t appear like one. It’s hardly attractive.”
They were back outside again in the warm afternoon sun, and Shu led them down a covered walk, with a wall to one side and pillars at the other. Leading them towards the lake. He did so want her to see it. He had the notion she’d love it.
“I did meet a girl once called Maji’kame who I almost…but she wanted someone who could grow old with her. So I'm pretty much resigned that I'll end up without a wife.” He shrugged. “Have you ever been close to someone?”
"Oh, well what if you found someone who was willing to stay young like you? Wouldn't that be nice too?" She shook her head a moment of sadness crossing her face. "No...no one special...I've been alone since I've left my family."
She looked at him for a long moment before smiling softly. "Actually Shu I think your my first real friend, it's nice..." She followed him along towards the lake.
“I don’t think it’s possible.” Simple as that. The only other forever-young people he’d met had had dealings with gods somehow, admittedly pretty much 99% of his data coming from the males of his family tree. Beside, he didn’t think he was worth getting cursed for and didn’t think any girl would think so either. He was wrong, weird, defective. There was nothing about him that would attract anyone. He was a grumpy jerk half the time and he knew it.
The look of surprise on his face now though was quite comical and far from grumpy. Brows furrowed, mouth a bit open, and if he hadn’t been walking in a straight line he’d probably have walked into a pillar looking at Zuri like that.
“I don’t believe you. You’re too nice not to have made a single friend in your whole life.”
Zuri shook her head "Thats silly Shu anything is possible, someone could find a God and ask to be able to remain young like you. Wouldn't it be worth it if you found someone you really wanted to be with forever?" She almost got worried when she saw the shock on his face then laughed softly.
"I'm afraid I've just been pretty lonely...haven't met enough people or stayed in anyplace long enough to ever make a friend. Maybe if I had I would have been able to settle down properly."
“Well I’m not much but you have me now. I won't let you get lonely.” Shu said, holding his head up again and asserting the the fact as gruff as ever, as if having him as a friend just went to show she’d had bad luck before and she could make friends with anyone.
“If you say I’m sure you’ll have friends in no time. I told you this place was friendly and I did not tell you false. A few days here and you’ll see and meet so many lions it’ll make your head spin.”
She laughed and softly nudged him happily thankful for his kind words. He wouldn't let her get lonely, it was the nicest thing anyone had said to her since she had parted ways from her family. "Thanks shu, you'll always be my first and best friend."
She looked up ahead curiously the lake a bit closer now. "I can't wait to meet others, especially if their as nice as you. Maybe...maybe I could stay a bit longer..." She looked at him uncertainly wondering if visitors could stay so long, wondering what it would take to join the pride, for good.
He’d been surprised when she’d nudged him, as he’d been surprised when she’d touched her paw to his down at the oasis. Yes he’d carried her on his back for ages and checked her heart beat and let her use his side as a pawrest. But that had been necessity. It was odd to have someone just…touch him for touching’s sake. Simple affection.
But he got over his surprise quickly to grin, looking happier than he’d looked all day.
“I bet you could stay as long as you wanted…now, come swimming with me? You can wade through all these lotus lilies, the seshen, to the lush garden’s on the other side.” Tempt, tempt.
She almost felt her jaw drop, it was beautiful the water moved so slowly softly whispering along the bank. All those lotus lilies floating on the surface almost making it look like solid ground. She inhaled deeply and purred softly as the scent surrounded her. The word garden made her perk up even further.
"Oh yes, I'd love to!" She leapt over eagerly to the edge but paused instead of just splashing in. She crouched and slid gracefully into the water her paws treading the water as she watched the lotus swirl around her. "This is amazing...it's so beautiful."
Shu followed suit but after he slid in the water, he slid all the water in and stayed under for a moment before surfacing. It felt good to feel the water close over him and once he was above it again feel it drip off his fur. He was a water-lion through and through.
“This place is paradise. You have to brave the desert to reach it but it’s delights are worth the journey.” He said as he waded over to her side once more. After a moment, he plucked one of the white lotuses – most were blue but white matched her fur – from the water, it’s long stem in his jaws. He went back to where his feet touched the bottom so he could stop treading water and Shu talked around it.
“Here. Let me place this behind your ear. Many females here wear them in the evenings.”
Zuri giggled as he dipped under the water and she followed suit kicking down to push herself beneath. She laughed as she surfaced and gave her head a slight shake. She swam in lazy circles for a moment and then nodded at Shu. "I'm glad, I think getting lost and coming here is the best thing that could have happened to me. This place is so amazing, so beautiful and friendly."
She swam over to him and stood tilting her head with a smile so he could put the lotus behind her ear. "Oh how pretty...thank you Shu." She closed her eyes to savor the moment, the water wasn't even cold, this entire place felt magical.
Shu couldn’t help how his face brushed hers, because he had to place the lotus correctly, and position the stem so it wouldn’t just fall off. He felt oddly nervous placing it there but after quickly stepping back he had to give a curt nod to his handiwork.
“You look lovely. Just like you belong here.”
If he had it his way, she’d be enticed to spend weeks here if not stay for good. Hopefully some nice young male would take interest and then she’d stay for sure as someone’s wife. Then he wouldn’t loose his new friend.
Zuri felt her cheeks warm and her heart did a strange little skip as Shu brushed close against her. She leaned it a bit closer so he could better place the lotus. She tilted her head to look at her rippling reflection and smiled. "I feel like I belong here..." She murmured softly and looked at Shu happily.
"Don't the males decorate themselves? Not with flowers...but?" She looked at him curiously already entranced by the prides customs.
“Oh plenty. Next time there is a celebration, you’ll see me in my best, but I don’ tend to casually. There’s all sorts of jewelry and scents and tattoos that can last either a few days or forever based on the images from the walls…” He happily went back to explaining and leading, letting the slightly awkward moment pass by. Shu felt oddly proud showing Zuri around. To tell a pretty girl about one’s home was naturally a joy.
“While we’re in the gardens I’ll show you the sandalwood and the other plants that get used for perfume.”
Zuri smiled and followed after him happily her paws moving along through the water in slow happy strokes. She felt so calm, the passing of time was slowed as she focused on Shu's words. The idea of scents, jewlery, and tattoos were foreign and amazing to her. She asked questions as often as she could and marveled over the things he explained.
As the sun slowly started to set and she waded towards the gardens Zuri couldn't help but look at the male beside her and consider herself lucky. She felt so at ease beside him like an equal, yet he had all the wisdom of ages to help guide her along. Life here was so idyllic she kept letting her mind wander towards staying...it would be especially worth it to stay with Shu. With that thought she smiled and followed him into the garden.
