[PRP] The night is full of wonder (Zhen x Gealach Scath)

[Dulcea]

The moon was just beginning its ascent into the sky, still obscured by the clouds tinged orange with the setting sun. It was her favorite time of day, she had only been awake for a few short hours and already she had seen so much activity. For fear of upsetting her mother she rarely left the safety of the royal dens without accompaniment, but even from there she could wait and watch.

She hummed a quiet song to herself as she ascended the side of the den to get a better vantage point. Her claws caught on the dirt and kicked up a small cloud that settled on her fur. She was sure someone would fuss over her later on about getting so dirty, but it was worth it. From here she could see all of the pride members going about their lives. Some were heading home, others like herself were just emerging from their homes and readying themselves for the night to come.

Whichever they chose she knew the Great Lion would be looking over them, but secretly she favored the night. It was so quiet and yet simultaneously so alive. There were insects that found there way up from underground, and so many other strange creatures scuttling across the ground. But the best of all was watching the moon flowers blossom. She felt she would never tire of their beauty.  

[mouselet]

The best thing about being a juvenile, Gealach had decided, was the increased amount of freedom his parents permitted him and his brothers. It meant that he was free to explore just about any place in the pride lands so long as he didn't intrude on anyone or go beyond the safe boundaries.

Now he was in a place that had previously been off limits - the heart of the pride where the royal family lived. It didn't look any different from the area near his parents' den! And there was a cub standing over there, watching the moon rise! That was all the encouragement the black juvenile needed.

"Hi!" he called out, padding over.  

[Dulcea]

Zhen nearly fell from her perch when she heard the young male calling to her. She wasn't normally easy to frighten but she'd found herself lost in her thoughts. Her face flushed as she regained her footing and stood, dipping he r head in a small acknowledgement.

"Hello there, are you a slave?" she asked curiously, her pale eyes without any hint of malice. As yet she was not well educated on the families of the pride. She knew only that he was not one of her kin and that the others that lived in the area were slaves. But then if he was a slave he likely wouldn't be off by himself or speaking to her so boldly. Even if he was she didn't mind, she liked the company and others unlike herself often had interesting things to say.

But then she considered that this might offend him, "I don't mean to imply you look like a slave, if you aren't, only that I don't know who you are or what to call you." Her face flushed deeper, she was making a mess of this. She hoped her parents wouldn't hear of her social shortcomings.  

[mouselet]

Black eyes wide, Gealach gaped at the young lioness before regaining his composure and closing his mouth. He grinned at her.

"No, I'm not a slave, though my great-grandfather is," he told her proudly. He liked Great-Grandpa Unyezi, and the big lion was always friendly and kind. "My name's Gealach Scath, what's yours?"

He supposed that she must be a Princess, to be so comfortable here. But she didn't look very different from him, except for being a girl and not being related to him. Or wait, Mom had said something about them being kind of related to the royal family. But he wasn't entirely sure how that worked, so he wouldn't bring it up.  

[Dulcea]

"I'm sure your great-grandfather is proud and happy for all of you then," she said with a nod as she settled onto her haunches, looking down at him from her perch. "My name is Zhen, I live here," she said happily, pointing at the den underneath her. She wasn't sure if anyone else was home but she stayed around regardless. It frightened her to think that her mother might look for her one day and not find her because she was off exploring.

"Do you like the night too Gealach Scath?" she asked, tilting her head as she etched his image into her mind. As she grew older she knew she would need to know as many people as possible. Princesses ought to be truly close to the people, that way when brother became the ruler she could help him.  

[mouselet]

"Of course he is!" Gealach agreed happily. Proud was something parents and grandparents and even great-grandparents just WERE, in his experience. He thought about mentioning how Great-Grandpa Unyezi had been King once upon a time, but decided it wasn't worth mentioning. It was, after all, a long long time ago, long before his mother had been born.

And her name was Zhen. It didn't sound like the sorts of names he'd heard before, but hadn't Mom said something about the Heiress' mate being from another pride? Maybe that had something to do with it.

"That's a pretty name," he told the younger lion as she asked him a question. Did he like the night? It wasn't something he'd thought about before.

"Uh, well, it's easier to see the moon at night?" the boy offered.  

[Dulcea]

She felt herself beaming at the compliment, she loved that her name reflected her father's heritage. When she was older she thought she might want to visit the place he had come from and meet the rest of his family. If they wanted her at least, but that would be a long time in the future.

The moon? Well of course it was easier to see at night, it hid its face during the daytime. She giggled, shaking her head at him. "That is true, but I meant for all the rest of life. Some lions prefer the day time, others prefer the night. I always wake up later in the day, I think the Great Lion wants me to live under the moon."

Perhaps it was a selfish thought, but she liked to think the Great Lion looked down on each of his followers at times. Although she thought it was true that he looked down more favorably on some than others she couldn't quite place why. Luck, she supposed. Or the vision of a good heart.  

[mouselet]

The younger lion's smile just lit up her face and Gealach found himself smiling in return. She really was cute, Princess or not.

"Oh!" the boy exclaimed in embarrasment. "I've never really thought about it," he admitted. He woke up in the day and went to sleep at night. He knew that the moon was the Great Lion's eye and though it was most easily seen at night, the juvenile's mother had pointed out the rarer and harder to see daytime moon multiple times.

It just hadn't occurred to him that some people spent more time awake at night, and others during the day. Nor had the boy thought about choosing one over the other.

"I kind of like them both," he replied at last with another smile.  

[Dulcea]

"The best of both worlds, right?" Zhen said cheerfully as she slowly slid her way down from the top of the den to the ground where he stood. "I like you, you make me think," she added, nudging him lightly with a paw, "I want to be friends, if you can stay awake with me." And if her parents approved she supposed. She wasn't sure yet who she was and was not allowed to be friends with, but he said he wasn't a slave and he certainly seemed alright. She didn't think they'd mind, but she put it in the back of her mind to ask later on.  

[mouselet]

He didn't know how his response made Zhen think, but he was happy enough when she smiled. The boy had decided that making this lioness smile was a good thing. He didn't do that with his brothers, but then again, his bothers were, well, his brothers! It was a lot more fun to wrestle with them than to try and make them smile.

"I'd love to be friends," he answered with a grin. This lioness seemed like a really nice girl and he'd be happy to spend more time with her. Gealach never considered the fact that some kids might not be acceptable company for the princes and princesses. It was so foreign to anything he'd been exposed to thus far.  

[Dulcea]

"Come then, look," she told him as she ran off away to the other side of the den. There was a family of odd little colored beetles that lived there, and it was just about time for them to come out. She wanted someone to share her world with, the little things that made the night so special. Under the moon things that in the light were plain became spectacular. Eyes shining in the distance, the light markings on other lions' coats, even the surface of the watering hole.  

[mouselet]

"Sure!" the black lion agreed, following Zhen. He had the feeling that even if he'd seen whatever it was she wanted to show him, seeing it through her eyes would make everything shiny and new again.