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 Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:31 pm
*Pothos was formerly Deimos  Naughty. Naughty as hell. That's the reputation Deimos had, and that's how she earned her name that meant "terror". The cub had slipped away from her family and siblings before she was supposed to go to the cub sitters for the day, and she was going to do something crazy. She would step foot in the ocean! For the longest time, the sea had filled her with anxiety and made her nervous with its power. She'd also heard many tales of warning from older lions that cubs should not get too close, even when the water seemed calm. First hand, she'd seen terrible, scary, awful monsters of things washed up on the shore after storms. Things other lions called 'sharks' and 'jellyfish.' She'd once seen a jellyfish and got a little too close- it stung her nose and it hurt so badly she cried and wailed until a healer gave her a solution. And the shark? It had such fierce, sharp teeth, hundreds more than a lion, and its eyes were so black and dead. She swore to herself that she'd never venture into the ocean. And yet… Falling asleep to the sound of the lapping waves was so peaceful every night. The way the sun and moon reflected on the water, looking like glimmering treasure just out of reach… it drew her to the ocean, even though all her fear tried to keep her far, far away. The cub's grey eyes darted side to side. Was the coast clear? Her ears laid flat against her head and she tried to lay low to the ground as she snuck closer to the water. She was in an area that offered driftwood as protection, but her bright pink color against the sandy beach had the effect of sticking out like a sore thumb. But, she wasn't quite well learned in the school of hunting. If she couldn't see anyone, no one could see her, right? She'd be home free to take her first swim!
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:32 pm
 However, Deimos didn't know that a light green Pomithi was nearby. Coduim wasn't directly in charge of cubs, his duties were that of a story teller, but the kind, good-natured lion would never allow anyone, of any age, to put themselves into a dangerous situation. He was on a morning stroll before finding breakfast to eat, as was his usual practice. He only fleetingly saw a flash of pink, and didn't think much of it. But, breakfast was coming up. It was worth taking another look. The lion doubled back at a casual pace, curious about what he would find.
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:33 pm
Demios finally took notice of the adult. Oh no! It was now or never, her final hour! She was still several yards from the water's edge, but she gritted her teeth and broke out into a sprint, throwing herself into the water. While the water had looked relatively calm on the surface, once she got in knee-deep, she realized how strong the current was. It swept her off her paws and the waves buffeted her back and forth, pulling her out to the deeper ocean. The water filled her mouth and her nose, she snorted and coughed to get it out, but she kept swallowing and inhaling more and more.
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:34 pm
Coduim had been still a ways off when he saw the pink flash take off for the water. It was only then that he realized it was a cub, and it took him only a second to know it wasn't doing very well. The little cub's head bobbed on the water, surfacing and going under abruptly and roughly as she frantically paddled for her life. Without a moment's hesitation, he ran into the water after her, the lion's strong shoulders pushed through the surf and he paddled out into the deeper water. He wasn't experienced at fighting the strong currents, he was waging quite the battle too. Instead, the lion had made himself learn to swim in oasis, tributaries and pools spawned by the ocean so as to be prepared for the worst, and maybe a leisurely swim.
It was a good thing he had, but it still took him a while to get to the cub. By that time, she was just floating on the surface of the water, Coduim was worried he might be too late. He managed to get his mouth on the nape of the cub's neck and he struggled to keep its head and his own above water. After what seemed like lifetimes of swimming, he made it back to the shore and placed the cub on the sand gently. It was very worrisome, she wasn't moving or breathing. With furrowed brows, he pawed and nosed at the cub all the more frantically. Still nothing. He sat down and his heart began breaking. He hadn't saved her, he failed. Tears began to well up in his eyes. But wait! A sign of breathing? He pawed at the cub more frantically. Maybe too roughly, but she sputtered and coughed up water.
His eyes lit up and he applied more pressure to her side, and more water poured out of her mouth.
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:35 pm
Deimos opened her eyes to a big, green lion standing over her. Not in the water, on the beach. What happened? Her eyes grew wide, and then filled with concern. "I want my parents." Her words almost gurgled forth as more water fell from her mouth and as tears filled her eyes. She pulled herself up and, shivering, she tried to hide against the lion's legs from the ocean. She cringed with each crashing wave and her body shook not only from the shock, but from fear.
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:36 pm
Coduim patted the cub with one of his paws, feeling sorry for her traumatic event, but also flooded with relief that she'd made it out alive. A smile split his face before he reached down to take the cub gently in his mouth and carried her to where the cub sitters would be waiting and he could find out who her parents were and tell them what she'd been up to and that she was alright. the end
word count: 1,022
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