Haukea had gotten close to the royal family, so today was her day to prove herself. She beamed at the responsibility that was given to her. Of course, it was only one of the 4 new Yeti kids, but she was one of the Ice princesses. Haukea knew that she was given the biggest responsibility anyone could have been given.
She had taken young Soyala out to play in the snow. The day was beautiful and the snow was coming down lightly. More light than Haukea liked. It was the sign of winter slowly coming to an end. No matter, she had better things to fill her mind than the worry of the summer. She smiled sweetly down at the dark brown cub. How she looked so much like both her parents. Dark like her mother, but her fathers markings. Except her eye marking was that of her mother. There was another that matched Soyala in markings, but not color. She loved all four of the little bundles of joy.
"Haukea! Look at me!" Soyala yelled as she rolled down a huge hill of snow as fast as her little body would let her. As she stopped rolling, she bounced up as fast as she could. "Tada!" She said as her fur was now white from the snow powder that was covering bits here and there. It melted as fast as the cub could run from the snow hill to Haukea's legs and run around them. "Where are we going?" She asked sweetly.Haukea was Soyala's most favorite lioness of the WHOLE pride. She was nice, and she watched them a lot. Her bright blue eyes looked up at the lioness. She was so TALL, Soyala couldn't wait until she was big like this lioness. Though Haukea always said she shouldn't rush growing up. She didn't understand what the lioness said, but Haukea said she would one day. It was a puzzling thought for her, though.
"Well, if I told you that," She paused for a second, "it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it? SIlly." She said with a giggle. These cubs were so much fun. Haukea loved spending time with them. Plus it let her spend time with Urtzin. Who she had a huge thing for. Not that she'd actually admit it. Not yet anyways. She lead the cub not too far from cave entrances, though it was a bit hidden from view to where another cave opening ones.
It was a sort of hidden hot spring, and it was a good day to enjoy a swim! It was a more shallow spring than those in the mane cave line, this one she took cubs to to learn how to swim. It was a huge part of the pride to take a nice hot dip in the hot springs to help warm their body from playing out in the snow, so Haukea decided it was her job to teach Soyala how to swim today.
It was a short walk, but she was sure the little cub felt like she had walked for miles! "Let's play in the spring!" She said finally as they entered the cave and made their way to where it was. There was a water fall, a tiny one, that lead into the shallow spring. The rock around it was bare, wet, and warm to the touch. She smiled at Soyala. "We're going to teach you how to swim!"
It had seemed like a bit of a walk, when in reality it wasn't far at all. Her excitement made it seem much, much longer than it really was. As they entered the cave and she saw the pool of water, she grinned. She loved to play in the springs, but there was no way she could go into them yet. She was too little and she was only able to splash at the side of the water.
Today would change that! Okay, probably not, but it was a start. "Oh! REALLYREALLYREALLYREALLY?!!" She screamed and bounced around happily about the lionesses feet. Of course, that probably wasn't the safest thing to do, but that really didn't cross her mind. She ran to the edge of the spring to take a peak in side. The water was shallow enough that the young lioness could stand up. With inspecting that, she flopped into the water without waiting for Haukea to be there. She knew she was safe with that lioness.
Haukea giggled as she watched the cubs excitement. There were a few other pools of water, but the main one was the one they'd be in. It was deep enough to teach how to swim, and shallow enough that nothing could go wrong. "It's an important lesson." She told the cub as she slowly walked to where the other was now splashing about in the pool of water. Haukea was given this job to teach each cub separately, that way they'd not distract eachother with splashing.
"First we'll learn to hold your breath." She said as she climbed into the water with the cub too. "It's important to know that we cannot breath the water in" She said to the cub, it was knowledge even cubs had, but it was a good idea to repeat it just so they didn't try while in the water. "So, we gotta make sure we can hold our breath when under the water." She told the cub as she sat down in the pool. It was deeper towards the water fall that was near the back of it so she moved that way a little.
"Something like this!" She took a deep breath, held it than dunked her head under the water for a second or two, then brought it up .
Soyala giggled as the lioness brought her head up again. Her mane fluff was all over her face and water dripped down the rest of her body. "you look funny, Haukea" She said with more giggles. Though she couldn't wait to try it. "So I just hold my breath before I go under?" She said with looking at the water. She got this! She can do this! She took the deepest breath her little body could manage, then she dunked her head under. Her eyes shut right before it went into the water. Though she didn't stay under it as long as Haukea. As soon as her face touched the water and was completely covered, it was back out of the water.
Her mane, much like Haukea's, was all over her face. She shook her head and let herself breath again. "That was fun!" She said with a smile. Though she didn't stay under long mostly because she was afraid she might accidentally breath in the water. She knew it'd make you cough and feel bad as she had done it before when taking a drink of water once.
Haukea had shaken her head before the young lioness attempted her first breath exercise. When she did, Haukea smiled and had no doubt that would go according to plan. Though she didn't stay under as long as Haukea had opened, but that was okay! It was because she was just learning! She smiled sweetly at the young cub. "Very good!" She said with encouragement. "Let's keep at it a few more times and try staying under the water a bit longer" She suggested to the cub.
"Before long, you'll be able to hold your breath as long as me!" she said with a nod. Haukea could hold her breath for a while and she was very proud of that. It was probably why her parents decided to let Haukea watch Soyala today. They would be at this all day, and Haukea had no mind in that. It was a great opportunity.
FINISHED
