Shupavu hoped to all things holy that his Good Day would hold. The male lounged by the watering hole, enjoying some peace and quiet as he watched the fish, part wondering if he could have one for lunch.
Really, he wasn't that heartless as to be antisocial, but he was adapted to being alone frequently, and often wandered to do so a bit.
Nyx had wandered a bit, not at all interested in the 'sparring' Shu'reh loved so much. Nyx respected that her sister wanted so badly to be military...but the black and white cub just couldn't understand it. Then again, she preferred to create. Which led back to why she had wandered off.
She was in search of the pretty, shiny rocks (gems, Mother called them) to make pretty things out of. When she saw Shu though...She grinned and bound over. "Hi big brother!"
Shupavu blinked, then looked over his shoulder. Ah, siblings.
Family never bothered the lion, although he was often grumbly, and the male shifted, getting up and padding over, nuzzling his much littler sister affectionaly.
"Hey, kiddo. Being good?"
Nyx giggled and tried to nuzzle back. "Yup! Shu'reh is training again...so I went looking for gems!" She looked rather proud of herself. "I wanna find a moonstone for Mauaji! So when he's all done training..."
Shupavu looked thoughtful.
"Moonstone, huh? He'd like that." Shupavu looked around.
"Well then, I can help you look, if you want."
Shu was going to help her! Perfect! "Definitely! Two pairs of eyes are better than one! Right? Cause then one pair catches what the other misses!" That made perfect sense.
With a bright smile, she started looking, making sure to try and catch every glimpse of shine there was. After all, one never knew when the shine was mica or a moonstone.
Shupavu followed, stretching slightly as he walked, looking about. He found plenty of garnet, and definaitely a few others, but nothing yet. He made a face, thinking, and tried to remember where they often found the stone. Maybe a hole?
A particulary dull flash caught Nyx's red eyes. Curious, she wandered over. More mica. But she didn't want mica. But maybe...The cub started digging around the stone, not bothered that her white fur was getting dirty.
Once the stone was loose, she moved it and grinned. Not moonstone, yet, but quartz. That meant she had the right idea though! She marked the spot in her memory...quartz would be handy later.
"Maybe...if we dig where other stones are, we'll find it?"
"Maybe." Shupavu seemed to think, then bared his foreclaws, digging into the dirt near his garnet discovery, and began to work, forcefully tearing up smaller stones and dirt, as well as grasses. The male looked intense as he dug, plowing away.
Nyx admired her older brother a moment, then went to work on digging herself. More garnet, more mica, more quartz. OH! Jasper! That she set aside to take back. That, she wouldn't wait and mark. Finally, she found what she'd been looking for.
"Shu! I found some! Ooooo...it's so pretty before it's tumbled..." She worked to get the chunk loose, humming as she worked, only the back half of her above the ground.
Shupavu followed, beginning to dig with her.
"Huh... So that's un-tumbled moonstone..."
He dug with her, trying to free the rock as he worked.
"So how do we prep these things anyhow?"
Nyx thought as she dug. "Well...moonstone is softer, right? So...a sharp blow with a sharp rock in the right pace should break it, right? And then the ready pieces are tumbled and added to markers!"
She'd been thinking of stuff like this since she first decided she was more interested in making than protecting.
Shupavu mused over this, digging as he did so, mud sticking to his toes irritably.
"That makes sense. But the peices shouldn't be TOO small, or you can't use them."
Yes, the stones ought to be seen. OF that, he knew.
Nyx nodded. "Right!" She left the chunk in one spot, by a larger rock, and went looking for another possible chunk. She wanted to have a few pieces to choose from! After all...she wanted to work with the best!
Especially since it was for a future commander.
Shupavu continued digging, dirt flying up in a spectacular show as he worked, muscled flexing expertly. His eyes were intent in the ground, and a sight caught his eyes. His digging increased, and, unearthing more, he marvelled. The gem was bright and beautiful. He dipped, and lifted, carrying it to Nyx.
"I don't think this is a Moonstone." He said, spitting it out. "But it's pretty."
Nyx blinked at the stone and poked it carefully, first with a toe, then with a claw. She turned it over a few times, examining it...
"It is...but I have no idea what it is." But she liked it. Very much. She carefully moved it to beside her chunk of moonstone. "Maybe Mother knows?"
"Maybe." Shupavu grunted. "She spent time in a two-legger sanctuary. She learned things." The male frowned, then looked thoughtful again.
"You should keep it, to work with. Shouldn't be that hard...." He lifted it in a paw, and tapped it on a rock. Amazingly, the rock itself chipped... Not the strange stone. Shupavu marvelled further, offering it.
"Yeah...I wonder how hard it is...I'll examine it more at home." She grinned brightly and looked back to her older brother. The pale cub raised a brow and padded over.
"Why are you looking at the rock like that?"
"It's just unique." Shupavu chuckled. "Maybe it's me, maybe my ignorance. But now you have me wondering too!"
He raised a paw, ruffling her head-tuft gently.
Nyx giggled and made sure to remember where the rock was for later. Perhaps it would be best to just bring several others out later, with all the finds they were making! "Maybe it is time to go home. So many interesting things here...we'd be at it for HOURS!"
"That might work. Round up a search party...":
Shupavu seemed of Equal mind, looking quiet several moments.
"Then we can bring everything home. Looks like someone will be busy."
Nyx grinned. "Busy is best! Oooo~ So many things I could make!" She danced about a bit. "Can you grab the mystery stone, and I'll get the moonstone?" No sense in risking her dropping their new prize.
"No problem." The male bent, lifting the stone carefully, and nodded, showing it to her as one would a valued toy that was promised safety, and waited, allowing his half-sister to move first.
Nodding, Nyx picked up the moonstone and started for home. Honestly...she couldn't be happier. Not only had she found such lovely treasures with the help of family, they'd found a whole TROVE of treasures waiting to be uncovered! Mother would certainly be proud of them!
