Allianti - Redbud-Tree
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Aisling - Das Tor
It was just she, Laoch, and Rohodamu now. Aisling had watched the direction her family had gone until she could see their forms no longer, and now...The blank lioness sighed and stood up on her paws, making her way for the water source nearby. It was for the good, but it was going to be a long wait. Reaching the small watering hole, she sat and put her balance on her back paws so she could place her front paws on her belly. At some point soon...there would be cubs in there. Cubs for another pride who needed her fresh blood. Would she get to raise any of them, she wondered.
Allianti was having a very good day. So far, she had found three rocks, a feather, and some kind of cord that looked neat and felt funny in her mouth. Satisfied with her haul for the moment, she padded off toward the watering hole that she knew was nearby. Sure, maybe Mama and Dad wouldn't be too thrilled with her going off so far on her own, but what did she care? She had Things to do! She didn't expect, though, to see a strange adult lioness there, and she stopped, tilting her head for a moment, before throwing caution to the wind and trotting over.
"Hey, lady! What're you doing here?"
Aisling started a bit, blinking and looking to the cub. Oh! She hadn't realized any little ones would be about. Did that mean an adult pair was nearby? "Well...I'm here to think and to get a drink of water. What of you, little one?"
Allianti nodded. "Uh-huh, I"m here for some water - and sometimes I can find shinies in it if I look hard enough." She frowned, then, more of a pout than anything else. "But then I get all muddy an' Mama and Dad make me bathe." She paused and batted a paw against the ground for a moment. "Who're you? Why are you here? ...do you gots any shinies?"
Aisling smiled and laughed softly. "Well...it means they care about you. If they didn't, they wouldn't bathe you." She bowed slightly. "I am Aisling of Mar's Clan. I am here as a resting point on a journey. And I'm afraid I have no 'shinies'." The only 'shiny' she had was too valuable to her to gift to a cub, and she wasn't wearing it at the moment. "And who are you, little one?"
Allianti giggled and twirled around in a circle for a moment, before smiling innocently up at the older lioness, her red eyes sparkling. "I'm Allianti, an' I live out here! Baths are icky an' - an' you don't have any shinies?" Her happy expression fell for just a moment before she crept closer. "You suuuuure?"
Aisling sighed and shook her head. "Not that I can giv eyou, little one. And the only shiny I have, I do not have on me. You see, it's something my father gave to me, so it is very, very precious to me, and I would be very sad if I lost it. If you'd like, I could help you look for a shiny in the water?" It wasn't deep enough to worry about predators lurking in it.
"Ooooh," Allianti said, red eyes narrowing as she thought, before finally she nodded. "Okay! Maybe I won't have ta take a bath if you help me!" It sounded like an excellent deal to to little ring-spotted cub; a new shiny and no bath! This was becoming the best day ever!
Aisling laughed again, nodding. "Perhaps!" Of course, the cub's parents might still bathe her, but it was nice to see a little one smiling. "So...where in the water do you find the best shinies?" She was back on all four paws, moving to stand instead of sit.
Allianti giggled and pointed a few feet out in the water. "There, kin'a all around it!" She was excited about the prospect of getting another new shiny, but she also liked the idea of getting a grown-up all muddy! That sounded funny to her for some reason.
Aisling nodded, then moved out into the water, not mindng the mud. She could get it off later. "Now let's see...what sort of shiny would you like, Allianti?" That would give her a better idea of what to pull from the water or the mud at the bottom.
"I like rocks and shiny things and feathers and anything neat!" Allianti said, nodding with each shiny she listed. "I bet you could find lots if you looked real' hard!" This was going to be fun to watch! The little cub took a seat, tilting her head as she waited for something to happen.
Aisling laughed again, shaking her head in amusement. "Well...I don't think any feathers in here would be much good anymore but...I am certain we could find some shiny rocks in here." Such an easily amused cub apparently. Aisling wouldn't argue that. She rooted about with her paw a few moments, carefully searching. After a bit, she used her claws to pull out a rock...a very shiny rock that seemed to shimmer a bit with an inner light. Ah! A moonstone! "Here's a shiny rock you might like, little one." She brought it over to Allianti, smiling slightly. "It's called a 'moonstone'."
"Oooooh!" Allianti said, pawing lightly at the stone. "It's so pretty! Th' shiniest shiny ever!" It truly was magnificent, and she dropped her head close over the rock to get a better look. "I didn't know there was a shiny this nice in there! Thanks!"
Aisling put the stone down, tail swishing calmly behind her. "Sometimes, we find the most surprising things when we don't expect them. I am glad it makes you happy, so you are most welcome." Such a smile on a little cub made her heart soar a bit. It was smiles like that that had prompted her to take up the mantle of Banbharun, and her mother before her.
Allianti smiled brightly and picked up the stone, holding it carefully in her mouth. "Ffanks again, lady!" She said, then didn't waste another moment before trotting off. She had to get her new treasure to her hiding-place! Though she did, at least, offer a short "Bye!" to the kindly lioness.
