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It was another beautiful day in the Bahari. Beautiful days were common here, almost enough to make the inhabitants grow used to the wonderful weather that blessed them so frequently. Shio was one of the probable few that appreciated every day that had a cool breeze, a warm sun, and calm waters to enjoy.

Ever since the rites of passage and his rather awful reception from the sea, the pale lion had avoided deeper water out of caution and respect. He was waiting for a sign that the ocean would welcome him again as he had been assured that just because he had been rejected that day didn't mean it would be for the rest of his life. Still, he kept to the shallows where he was always just a few strokes away from a rock or being able to touch. The fish liked to hang out in shallow coves anyway so it wasn't as if he couldn't hunt.

Today, though, he was basking on a rock in the sun at the edge of the water. The waves rolling over the smaller rocks below him made for a lovely calming ambient noise and he was fighting off the nap that wanted to claim him so desperately.

Shio's tail flopped lazily back and forth on the rocks, the breeze just strong enough to keep the flies at bay. Some days they were brutal, biting and flying around everywhere, but on days like this they remained huddled somewhere sheltered from the wind. It was this kind of weather that he loved the most for that reason.

A shifting in the sand made him lift his head and he watched with interest as a young lioness made her way to the water's edge. He recognized her markings - she and her siblings were quite striking in both color and design - but he didn't know her personally. Shio continued to observe as she moved to the water just below his rock and pulled out a rather shiny stone. He tilted his head in curiosity, but didn't say anything to let her continue her little ritual.

At least, that was the plan. She must have felt his eyes on her because she glanced up at him a moment later.

"Hello," he said in return, a little grin on his face. "Sorry, am I interrupting?" Even though she had been the one to intrude on his space...still, Shio wasn't the type to argue over details like that.

Shio tilted his head a bit, his curly mane bouncing a bit in the sea breeze. He didn't want to make the lioness afraid due to his family, but it did seem that there were some who acted differently around him just because of his birth. As an outgoing but kind lion it was always a bit sad to lose potential friends just because they were worried about offending him or saying something wrong.

The answer he got from the lioness was a bit of a surprise. She wanted the sea to accept her? He turned to look at the water, a tiny smile on his features at the exclamation.

"Didn't need to, no, but I'm glad you shared it. I want the same thing." He turned to glance at the lioness again before deciding sitting up on the rock wasn't the best place to have a conversation. He hopped down into the sand beside her and gave her a little smile.

"I didn't do too well during the last ceremony. In fact, I'd call it flat-out rejection from the sea. But I was told that I shouldn't base my future on failure that day, that the sea is constantly changing and one day it would welcome me. Still waiting on it," he added with a little chuckle. "But, to be fair, I haven't tried swimming out too far since then."

The surprise and relief on the female's face was enough to let Shio know he had done the right thing in sharing his story with her. It was never fun to feel left out, that much he knew, and having someone with a similar plight certainly helped. A few of his siblings had feared very well during the ceremony, and yet he and his brother had suffered. His brother more so than himself, whom he had been trying to help, but he certainly had faced rejection as well.

A laugh left him as Kelpie gave her name and offered an apology before asking for his own. There were quite a few siblings - some that were gifts from the sea, in fact! He was part of a very large 'litter' - and he didn't fault her for not knowing all of the names. In fact, he felt that it was nice that she didn't know his.

"Shio," he said with a little smile. "And don't worry about it, it's not your job to know everyone's name. I think," he added, lifting a paw to help wipe away the tear that had rolled down her dark cheek. "That the sea will accept us some day and it'll do it in its own time. It doesn't need gifts...at least, not physical ones. But just coming and sitting by the water helps me feel more connected with it. Perhaps if you tried that it might help?"

Shio was glad to see the young lioness smile and was happy to know he had lifted her spirits a bit. The question was a bit sudden, but he nodded all the same as he motioned up to the rock.

"There's definitely room for two up here. Come on, I'll show you what I was doing," he said, turning to hop back up onto the rock, climbing to the large, flat top. It was still warmed from the sun and it would be a few hours yet before the tide came in and it would begin to grow damp from the spray of the waves crashing on the rocks below.

"Truth be told, I was falling asleep up here," he said with a little chuckle as he laid down. "But up here I can listen to the sea, watch it come in and out...it feels like I"m spending time with it without having to worry about my safety."

As Kelpie joined him on the rock, Shio shifted a little to ensure she had enough room to sit. They surely made quite the sight upon the rock, one as pale as a cloudy blue sky on a sunny day, the other as dark as the night yet alight with the glow of fireflies. They both glanced out at the sea longingly and Shio was glad he had someone else to share in his desire to be accepted.

"Oh?" He glanced at the rock that was pushed towards him, a fetching shade of purple that shone as it caught the sun just right. He smiled at the offer and pulled it closer to him to inspect it.

"Thank you," he said, lifting his head to smile fondly at his new friend. "It's very pretty. I know just the spot to put it," he added, his mind already finding the best little nook to stick it in when he got back to his den.

He pulled it towards him before setting down with Kelpie to enjoy the sea, listening to the waves and chatting now and then about their trials and tribulations that they'd been through so far. It was hard not to be accepted by the very thing the Bahari's entire life circled around, yet it was comforting to find someone they could talk to without worrying about being looked down on.