Ango wasn’t used to being on her own.
Well, she was, and she wasn’t. For a while, she had always been around, or at least near, other animals. This new area she had wandered into, however, was a lot more lonely than she would have liked. In fact, she had half a mind to turn around and head back the way she had come. The other half of her mind enjoyed the idea of seeing where the quiet paths led her. Perhaps there was something amazing just out of reach. Something she could only see if she continued onwards. So continue she did, despite the fear lingering in her heart about what she might find. She had to keep telling herself that the adventure was worth. Lots of lions move about with no fear in their hearts.
She wasn’t going to be the only one who didn’t know how to explore.
Eventually, she found herself listening to something very strange. It sounded like a roar, but soft and constant. Almost calming, if the initial thought of ‘roar’ hadn’t entered her mind first.
Carefully, she moved forward, slipping over a hill, towards the source of the sound. What she saw completely astounded her. It was… water. A long, seemingly endless expanse of water, unlike anything she had seen before in her life. It was so stunning, in fact ,that her mouth dropped open, her eyes widening as she watched the water rush in and out along the sand. That, too, was something she hadn’t really experienced in such a way. As she got closer to the water, the set sand seemed hard and easier to walk on than the sand in the desert. Something else entirely, almost. And it was cold. Her paw pads weren’t burning as she stepped slowly closer to the water.
Once she found herself in front of where the water seemed to stop rushing forward, she paused, her eyes staring intently down at the cold liquid moving slowly but surely towards her paws. Why was it running in, and going out again? The watering holes she was so used to didn’t do anything like that, except for when she jumped into it. Was there some giant creature somewhere leaping into this mass of water?
Oh Gods, she hoped not.
Frowning to herself, she let the water run over her paws, lifting one to give the liquid a taste.
Ugh!
It was horrible! It tasted sharp and nothing like the water she was so used to. It didn’t help her throat at all. As she stuck her tongue out and gagged, she heard a faint giggle in the distance. Ears forward, her head snapped in the direction of the sound. Not that far away was a small wild dog, who looked quite ashamed of herself.
“What are you laughing at?” Huffed Ango angrily, feeling a little embarrassed.
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry,” the small dog replied, “I wasn’t looking to tease you or make you feel bad… I was just walking and I noticed you drinking the sea water… you shouldn’t do that. The salt content is high and it’ll make you sick if you have too much of it.”
“It’s too gross to drink, anyway,” The female grunted lowly, still a little annoyed by the new comer, “you called this the sea?”
“Yes, that’s what I like to call it,” the wild dog replied, “my name it Luhta, by the way. What’s your name? If you’re not too sore with me to answer, I mean. If you are mad, I completely understand. I shouldn’t have laughed at you and I’m terribly sorry that I wasn’t able to control myself.”
“My name is Ango and… don’t worry. I know you probably hadn’t meant it. I guess I was just surprised, that’s all. It is nice to see someone else. I was beginning to think I had reached the end of the world or something and there was no one else.” Ango said faintly, her eyes drifting back towards the water.
Luhta smiled. “I know how that can feel,” the woman said lightly, “it does look like there’s nothing else, doesn’t it? But I think there’s more out there. Other places, where creatures like us are looking out, wondering the same things we are.”
“That’s poetic,” Ango said softly, “I guess it makes sense, too. We couldn’t really be at the end of the world, right? Everything would just kind of… fall off, wouldn’t it? Maybe there is another lion out there right now, standing by this water and wondering if they’re at the edge of the world too. Anyway, what are you doing out here? Even if this isn’t the end of the world, it does seem like a lonely place. What brings you here?”
“My pride is actually near here. We live by the water and have fun doing so. I just decided to go for a bit of a walk so I could clear my head, that’s all. Sometimes, I wonder if I was better suited in the rogue lands. Not that I don’t love me home. I just… feel restless.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I could do the pride deal. Too many responsibilities. I like where I am right now- just going where I want to go. Though, I have to admit, it’s scary sometimes. At least you always have someone around you.”
Nodding, Luhta chuckled. “True enough. I guess that’s why I’m so confused. I don’t really know which way I’m supposed to lean. I want both lives, sometimes.”
“We all feel that way,” Ango replied, “at some point. I think so, anyway.” She sighed softly, keeping her eyes on the water. Luhta nodded and took a glance over her shoulder.
“I suppose I should head back, then. I don’t want to leave anyone worrying. I know about one lioness who’ll be mad if I’m out too long.”
Ango smiled. “That’s fine, I didn’t mean to keep you with this kind of thing. It was nice talking to you.” It was, too. At least she now knew a little bit more about the water. And she had made a friend, kind of! It was nice to think that there were nice little critters out there, too. Most of the time she thought smaller animals wanted to avoid her.
Big teeth and all.
