From high atop a tower of sand, the white and red lion stood with a stoic gaze, observing the land in front of him with the eyes of someone who was looking for something. So far, there was a whole lot of nothing, but truthfully, if one were to ask what he was looking for.... he really wouldn’t have anything to say.
What was he looking for? Intruders? Prey? Perhaps even just something interesting? It was a mystery even to him, to be frank. Aodhfin just knew that he wanted to find something, even though he had no idea what that something was. Maybe it was just... a purpose, if that made sense. He was the son of a rogue, whose mother was also a daughter of a rogue, and sometimes that left him wondering if perhaps he should have left with his brother....
But Kolr didn’t have a choice. He had been fated to leave once he was grown enough, whereas Aodhfin was chosen to stay. It was something to be grateful for, the solidity of home and the promise of companionship. So who was he to question that?
... Not that that stopped him from wondering sometimes. Was he where he needed to be?
White ears flicked up at the smooth sound of pawsteps in sand, and Aodhfin’s hackles raised as he turned to face whoever had intruded on his thoughts. However, the sight of the familiar black form had him grimacing before sitting back down with a slightly cowed look. Sharp black eyes looked back at him, a single raised eyebrow at his hostility, before the lioness chuckled and strode forward once more.
He cast an awkward look at her, his mother, before clearing his throat, “Sorry, I uh... didn’t hear you coming.”
He was normally fairly good at sensing when someone was nearby, so this lapse in attention was especially embarrassing, and to his own mother, no less. He supposed that he should be grateful that at least it hadn’t been one of his higher ups. They surely would have taken that as a challenge.
Majivu, on the other paw, simply leaned forward to nuzzle the side of his head affectionately before pulling back. When it came to her children, she had always been particularly good at knowing when something was bothering them. It was perhaps a product of her visions, but she never really tried to test it. No, it was a handy gift. Why mess with success?
While the going-ons around the pride were beginning to settle, there was still a faint air of uncertainty that was only being quelled by the continuation of daily life. It did make her wonder what changes were coming, what the pride was about it face, but for the time being, she could at least do her part in keeping up the normalcy that the pride needed, and that meant going out to search for water.
That had been what she’d been doing when she had had a flash of her son, and, curious as to what could be wrong, Majivu had sought him out.
His reaction to her appearance was a surprise though. He was normally very good at catching sight of things. So why had she been able to catch him off guard?
Hmm... definitely something bothering him, then.
Sitting down beside him, she turned to gaze out across the sand as well. The two fell into silence once more, both collecting their thoughts, until Majivu finally decided to start prying.
“You look troubled, Aodhfin.” She threw a sidelong look at him, her searching gaze meeting his ruby red eyes. She wondered idly if it was because of Kolr, as the two had been very close as cubs, but... no, she felt it was deeper than that.
Aodhfin let out a snort at that, looking away to try to break eye contact. “Do I?” He fell silent then, considering things, and then shrugged. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. Does it matter?”
That earned him a glare and tail flicking against his side, “It always has to me, as it should to you.” Her eyes softened slightly, “Come now, what is the matter?”
He didn’t answer immediately, instead just continuing to stare out ahead of them, but as per usual, he found himself answering her back. It was funny how mothers had a way of doing that, breaking your walls down until you spilled whatever was on your mind. Or perhaps that was just a thing with his mom. He couldn’t really say what it was like for everyone’s relationship with their mother.
“... Does it ever bother you?” She raised an eyebrow at him, and so he continued, “You’re only half Firekin, mother, and me... that makes me even less so, doesn’t it?”
Had it been anyone other than family, he likely never would have admitted to having such doubts about his place in the pride. After all, others would take it as him being ungrateful or traitorous to the pride. That wasn’t it at all, of course. He just wasn’t sure if others felt as attached to him as he did, and that made him worry. Was this where his home was? Could he really call himself a Firekin?
Aodhfin turned to face her at last, a yearning look on his face, “What made you decide that this was home?”
She hadn’t been expecting such a weighty question, and so Majivu just blinked back in shock for a moment, before sighing and looking out at the horizon with the look of someone who had thought about this before, had had doubts like this before.
“Aodhfin... At the end of the day, only you can make that typo of decision.” Which pained her to think about, if her son was having thoughts of leaving. “But what I can say is... it was because I eventually realized that I loved it here. I grew up with these lions, I had a place amongst the Water-Seekers, and I knew that they trusted me just as much as I trusted them.” She smiled lightly at the thought, “This was where I belonged. It’s where I know I was at my happiest, and where I knew I wanted to come back to. It’s true, I did have doubts, and eventually decided to venture outside to see the world alongside the foray, but in the end, I discovered that all my doubts, all my fears... they were really my own. Those I cared about were here, and those I wanted to aid and protect were equally so.”
Majivu turned to glance back over at her son, “I cannot tell you what is right for you, but I can tell you that you are loved here. You have family here, and friends to fight alongside, and a pride that is worth protecting. Does that really sound like someone who doesn’t belong?”
There was a moment of silence as he considered her words carefully. Finally, with a soft smile, he leaned down to rub his head against hers, before pulling away. “You do have a point.” He paused thoughtfully, and then nodded, “I don’t want to leave, not since I already have a place here.”
With that said, he stood up, “Thanks, mom. I’ll... think more on it later, but I do think you helped me make my choice.”
She grinned back at that, and then stood up, herself. She was glad, and she hoped that he would be able to find his way forward.
For now though...
“Well, if you’re done ‘for now’, what do you say about helping me make my rounds? For old time sake.”
Water seeking wasn’t really his forte, but he wasn’t about to pass up spending some time with his mother. So he smiled and nodded back, and with that, the two lions turned and began walking down along the hill of sand.