It had been a while since she stepped foot into these lands. She knew that Tawa'di lived here now as well, but it was hard to keep the wind penned down. After living here for so long, she had left to help a small little lioness start her own life. It had given her freedom that she hadn't had in quite a while. Ones that she...didn't quite regret, but there was some part of her that wondered if it had been correct. Still, there were so many happy smiles within this world, and as such she wouldn't let herself think negatively. She would visit all her children when she could. They wouldn't live forever, not like she did. Like how Tawa'di would be now, too.
She sought out her son, the one that had taken his father's place, and then some. Tawa'di ha dnever been officially named the wanidatsi, but Skan had taken that title up as soon as he had been old enough. Her long wing tips dragged on the ground behind her, ribbons swirling around her legs as she walked.
Skan had taken a break from his duties, overseeing the Bird Clan now that his twin sister had stepped down. He was not supposed to act like a clan mother, but a more suitable candidate hadn't yet appeared. He was wondering if Muujiza wanted another litter...just thinking about her embarassed him slightly. He never thought that he would find himself married, especially to an outsider. It was hard to avoid her charms, as cubbish as they could be.
His eyes shot up, caught by the glittery patterns that covered his mother's back. It was hard to not notice her - she no longer hid her appearance when she entered the Ela'wadiyi lands. She was not treated any differently, and Skan thought that his mother was grateful for than instead of insulted. He trotted up to meet her, his coat so similiar to her wings. He could remember hiding in them when he was just a cub, keeping his mother's secret safe.
"Skan!" Mana said, her voice clear and soft. "I was hoping to see you. How are you, my child?" She smiled softly, allowing herself to sit and fold her wings as best she could against her back. Having such long wings could be troubling at times.
"Mother, it's been a while. So much has happened..." He set himself next to her, feeling dwarfed. The old Ela'wadiyi blood made him smaller than the average lion, and her wings made Mana seem larger than she actually was. "I've gotten married, if that's something to mention," he said with a laugh.
"You?!" Mana was actually a bit surprised. He was so hard on himself, so much so that he didn't think he'd ever find someone patient enough for him. "I will have to meet her sometime then, wouldn't you say?"
Skan's tail swished behind him. "Yes, well...we've already had a litter too." Oh, how his mother missed so much. Hopefully she wouldn't pin the blame on him. "And you'll be shocked to know that she is an outsider, too."
Mana only shook her head. "You've changed, then. Its hard for me to imagine you actually accepting one who was not born in these lands to be your other half." She mulled over this, wondering if her own absence may have helped that. Not everything that came from the outside lands was bad, herself included. This wasn't even their original lands, at least the Ela, and Mana doubted that they would ever be able to return. "I hope that you'll allow me to see these grandcubs of mine."
"Adolescents, actually," Skan said with a wince.
"Skan! You know you could have called for me! And told me! I swear, you can be just as wrapped up in your work as your father." Mana decided to sulk a bit, just for fun. A goddess like her knew that she missed many things, no matter where she was. Now, though, it was fun to tease her son. While she still could, that is. Her eyes glanced over his form...older, still strong, and handsome. It wouldn't always be that way. She never aged anymore. Perhaps if she wanted to look more aged she could do something...but where was the fun in that?
"Mother...have you see Father recently?" Though he wasn't directly Skan's father anymore, it was hard to think of him as anything other than his father, even if he was younger-looking than Skan.
The goddess shook her head. "I have not visited him recently, no. He was going to be my nest stop. I wanted to see you first, Skan. I worried about you, about how you would fill the shoes of your father. I see that you're doing well, and that I don't need to worry about you as much as I thought. I'd love to meet your mate soon, though."
Skan nodded. "Muujiza would be overwhelmed, I'm certain, but at least she'll be happy to finally meet you. The boys won't know what to do with themselves, meeting their grandmother," he laughed.
"Oh really? I'll take that as a challenge! I will see you again once I visit your father....I have much to speak with him about. Its been too long since I've seen him, and I worry that I've hurt his feelings." Mana shook her head sadly.
"I'm sure he'll understand. He remembers everything, even after being reborn. Everything that you told him...he told me some of it, and one was that it was always hard to pin you down."
Mana twitched her nose. "And its true. Have you ever tried to capture the wind, and actually succeed?"
"Hey, I know its not possible!"
"And that is an important lesson to learn. I'm not the only one that is hard to keep pinned down. Make sure to keep your family close, and make sure that they know you love them. The Ela'wadiyi is a special place where families are almost never broken up. It is not that true outside of these lands. I want you to remember that, and teach that to the other alu'nadi." She sighed. "It is time for me to face my fears. I will see you soon, my dear Skan." With that, the goddess disappeared.
Skan sat there alone, wondering what it was that his mother had seen in the time she was gone to emphasis that aspect of Ela'wadiyi culture.
(1,085 words)
