There had been a change in their daily routine. This morning they had both awoken before dawn as always, stepping form their den out into the cool light of pre-dawn and sitting curled up together as they watched the sun rise slowly over the dark waters of the ocean. This morning it had been turbulent, driven to restlessness by a stronger wind. But it had not been anything abnormal and the pair had proceeded on their regular schedule. Going off to hunt small game in the forest and easily catching two brace of hares for breakfast. After cleaning up they had moved to the beach where they walked along the sands., letting the small waves tickle about their paws. It was then, as the sun slowly claimed higher above them, that the rest of the pride came alive and almost right away, an uproar followed. The pair had lingered on the beach, listening to the uncertain questions and simply frightened cries as the entire pride seemed to loose their collective minds. It was only by asking delicate and carefully worded questions that the two ex-assassins realised what had happened, or at least, came to accept the answers their questions received. It seemed the pride had lost their muses.. what ever that meant, and it had upset a great many of the members. A rare few looked pleased or relived for these ‘muses’ to have gone away. Now with more questions than answers, Giovanni and Maria stayed near by as the pride slowly sorted themselves out and two lions seemed to take charge. The couple knew neither one of them, but listened as things were explained to the best of the pride’s abilities. The whole muse thing still confused them, but it seemed to make sense to everyone else so it was assumed to be some kind of pride thing they hadn’t had time to encounter yet. As the day wore on the near-hysteria slowly calmed down as lions split off and formed smaller family groups to discuss the shocking event and try and find reasons with which to comfort themselves. Eventually Maria and Giovanni returned to their own den and curled up together, puzzled but not overly worried.
“I wonder what it all means...” Maria murmured from her place sprawled out next to her mate, her chin resting across his forepaws. Giovanni was resting on his belly, head lifted as he watched the world pass by the mouth of their den. When his mate broke the comfortable silence between them, he looked down at her, dark eyes as unreadable as ever. “Well.. the pride’s goddess has left them, they are nervous and afraid of being left unprotected. That male today seems well able to handle the situation though, he has sorted out a guard for the pride’s boarders.” Maria lifted her head and nipped him lightly on the chin before shaking her head. “You are always so practical... as long as everyone is safe, right?” Snorting she gave him a fond smile before leaning her head against his neck and turning her gaze towards the den mouth.
For a long while both of them were silent again, engaged in their own thoughts, comfortable in the familiar comfort of their mate’s warmth and company. Eventually it was Maria who broke the silence again. “Do you think they will want us to leave?” She felt Giovanni shift beside her, then the warm roughness of his tongue smoothed over her forelock, his voice rumbling deep and reassuring in her ear. “I doubt it. I think we will be the last thing on their minds now. They have to learn how to cope alone, without this so-called goddess to help them.” The doubt in his voice was obvious. He had little faith in gods when it was mortals who spoke about them. Oh, he believed the gods existed and that they came down to the mortal plain. But he doubted some of the stories about them, and couldn’t see why they would go out of their way to aid mortals. It was the mortal who had to prove himself worthy of a god’s attention, or in equal measure do something that attracted a god to him.. though those kind were usually a bad idea..
Maria nodded and fell quiet again, both of them thinking on their place here and how precarious it was. He had already fallen in love with the land, its serenity, the ocean’s constant rhythm, the isolation that allowed him to relax his constant awareness. He knew Maria felt the same, that she wanted to stay here, to make a home and a family here. To hopefully grow old together and die here... He knew they would never return to their ancestral homeland, to do so was suicide. So they needed a new home and this place was fast becoming just that for them both. This sudden emergency with the pride made him worried but not to the point where he needed to go and offer his help. He had come here to fade into the background, to be just another old male... He knew Maria was afraid he would get involved again, would seek to help and in doing so, would blow his cover, reveal just who and what he was. It wasn’t his work that disturbed her, it was the danger it brought with it.. the constant fear, the secrecy, always looking over your shoulder, and it took him away from her... when he was working he was lucky to b home one day in the lunar cycle.. and that was no life for a noble-born lady. And certainly no way for a family to operate. He knew they were both getting older and he wanted to have kids before it was too late. H had survived to this age and that alone was close to a miracle. He would not throw it all away, throw her love away. Just once he would be selfish, just this once, he was going to put her before the good of the land.
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