Her eyes slowly blinked open as the feeling of others moving around her began to enter her consciousness. She could tell by the reflection of the cave walls that the sun had risen fully and was sitting high in the sky. Once her vision cleared, she took in the sight of bodies moving to and fro, going on about their daily routines. She slowly stretched out her limbs and yawned, happy to know that she didn't need to get up anytime soon. Her and several of the other guardians had chosen to split up shifts today so that they could take turns having more time to amuse themselves.Everything had worked out perfectly for her. She'd gotten up in the middle of the night to take over watch until moon began to give way to the beginnings of the morning light. Even though it had been totally weird getting up and being awake at that time of night, Nabila had been truly mesmerized by the magic of the late night. There were all sorts of strange sounds happening all around her constantly. At the same time the silence of the night was nearly deafening to her after living alongside others again. The beautiful pale moonlight shone softly and brilliantly in the sky, casting a gentle glow on the world as it slept.
She couldn't help but wonder at the abundant lifeforms that surrounded her, hidden in their own corners here and there. She had learned not to fear them when she lived in the rogue lands alone. It had been easier when she was with her mother. When her mother told her not to fear, Nabila had trusted her because she trusted in her strength and her ability to keep them safe. It was a completely different story once she was totally alone. Up until her first night alone, Nabila had trusted that her mother had armed her with all of the necessary knowledge for her to survive on her own. After a while of traveling with her mother, Nabila felt like she was a burden and was hindering a life that her mother would otherwise have without her. She realized now that it hadn't made much sense, but she'd needed to grow up on her own.
After many scary night all by herself, grow up she did. She grew into a lioness that was fearless and independent. She grew to take comfort in the predictable and unpredictable sounds of the night and the simultaneous silence. The contradictory nature of the deep night was like an analogy of life. Sometimes, things were quiet and comforting, like when she was growing up and in present times in her life. Sometimes, things were dark, uncertain, and frightening, like when she was dealing with losing her birth home and when she was alone for the first time ever.
All in all, the night was her favorite time of day for a multitude of reasons. Closing her eyes once again, Nabila breathed deeply and began to doze off again, being that she'd only returned to the caves a few hours earlier. Nabila fully intended to take as much time sleeping as she was alotted for the day. Snoring softly, her mind wandered and she daydreamed about what the night might bring her this evening. Each night was the same and different every time. Some nights felt bleak and depressing, and some seemed magical and endless. She supposed that it was her own perspective and daily life that caused her to think this way. Technically the night itself never changed, she was the only one that did.
After a while, Nabila decided that it would be wise for her to start getting up before she overslept and wasn't ready for her next shift rotation. Once she was up and out of the den, she made her way to where the hunters left their kills to find some dinner. After eating her fill, she casually sauntered down the path to the training grounds where she began doing some light warm up practices. Moving her body gradually, she could feel her muscles coming alive and strengthening beneath her skin. It did not take long for her to rid herself of lingering fatigue and begin to focus on her impending task. When others made their appearance on the grounds, Nabila sparred with them until it was time for her to make her way toward the borders.
Bowing respectfully, Nabila bid her sparring partners good evening and turned to make her trek toward the edges of the lands that she called home. It was a little strange for her at first, making the walk out to the guardians post. It was almost like she was leaving, she was always relieved when she stopped at the edge. With her past memories burned into her heart, she always feared the possibility of having to leave home and live alone in the rogue lands once more. However, each time someone came to relieve her of her shift and she made her way back to the others, her fears diminished bit by bit.
Eventually, the figure of the guardian currently on duty came into view and she slyly announced herself before taking the lioness's place. Nabila watched her slowly disappear into the darkness. Nabila stared out into the depth of the surrounding night and sighed. Standing, she decided to walk around the borders so that she could keep active while on watch. If she stood still in any place for too long her eyelids would start to droop.
Moving so that she made as little noise as possible, she began her nighttime rounds. Once again, she allowed herself to temporarily become absorbed in the sights, sounds, and mysteries of the night. This was something that she could always get used to. Guarding her home was something that she did with pride and assertiveness. It was something that she didn't take lightly and it was something that she felt honored to do. Nabila hoped that she could live out the rest of her days right where she was.