Jalidi led his new companion to the edge of the lake, which was still solid and thus rather easy to cross. There was snow on the ice from a recent flurry, making it very slick and a rather interesting game when it came to crossing. He moved to step out onto it, using his paws as skates rather than trying to walk. He slid, something that most new people to the ice did not know to do, watching her thoughtfully. He did not want her to try to walk on it, or she would certainly fall.
She watched him, taking notes of his progress, then followed his lead as she stepped out on the ice and kept her legs stiff. She slid, but was not really in control of where she was drifting, bumping into him. He did not seem to mind, nodding his head and sliding away from her gracefully. He seemed to have control over this art, though that was to be expected considering her grew up here. This was her first time on ice!
So far, she was doing great!
As soon as she thought that, of course, her paws decided to go in opposite directions and she had no idea how to get them back in track. So she fell heavily onto her stomach with her paws splayed out around her, very much like when she had been sliding down the snowy hill behind them. Jalidi laughed, sliding back toward her and bending his head down to her and nosing her gently.
“Are you okay? That looked like a hard fall. Don’t worry, everyone always falls when they come out here for the first time. Actually, I tend to fall more often than not. I think because I’m trying to show off, I’m doing better than normal.”
He grinned at her broadly, and she laughed, shaking her. She put her paws under her again, pushing up slowly and shaking as she did so. It was a successful enough effort, though he helped her by offering her a more solid support for her to lean on. With him as a guide, the duo managed to cross the ice and set foot on the large island that made up the actual pride lands, where all the lions lived. Bedwyr had never seen anything like this before, and shook her head in wonder. It was funny, and interesting, how used to one’s own pride they became. It seemed like that was how it was supposed to be: like they lived the only way anyone else could possibly live. The truth of it was, though, that many other prides existed and they had all come up with their own ways of doing things. The likelihood that any of them did things the same way was actually rather small.
That very idea made her want to explore more. Made her want to go to other places and learn about their prides, and take all that knowledge back to her own. Maybe she really could learn how to make peace out of an impossible situation! Maybe that really was the answer, and Uther had known all along… without realizing how important the quests so many of his knights went out on really were.
Or maybe she was just being idealistic. Either way, she had a bright, warm hope in her heart now, and that was all she ever really wanted.
“This place is incredible, Jalidi. I can’t believe you live here! It’s nothing like anything I’ve ever seen before!”
“Well, it’s something I’ve seen every day. I bet your pride is pretty amazing too, without any snow at all!” She looked at him as he spoke, noting that he seemed to be experiencing the same thing she was, except through envy and not wonder. She would have to take him back to her pride, and return the favor for this trip.
“You can come home with me after this, and visit my pride. It’s only fair, right? A trade, and a bit more time traveling together. I mean, if you’d like to. This whole thing has been a lot of… of fun. And I don’t get a lot of that, really, right now.” She smiled at him sheepishly, and he smiled warmly as she had trouble looking up at him. She was embarrassed, which was something he easily related to, considering how often he spent his time bumbling around trying to find the right thing to say.
Her being awkward with him made it easier for him to be less awkward with her. In a weird, round about way.
“I think I would like that a lot,” he said quietly, taking a chance and nosing her cheek in a sweet, little show of affection. She felt a shiver move down her spine and she looked at him in surprise, never really meeting anyone so gentle and kind before. There were knights that were chivalrous and gallant, of course, but he was certainly not like them. Not a warrior, or a soldier. A Prince, yes, but not one raised like her family, and the royals of her pride. He could just… be himself. And she found it was someone she really liked.
Really, really liked.
“I uhm. Well. I…” It was her turn to forget how to make sentences, and he smiled at her bumbling. He moved away from her, motioning with his head for her to follow him. He would give her a tour of the pride, and show her around the various different areas, from the meeting places to the living areas. He would show her the dens where the royal family lived, and maybe she would even get to meet his mother and father. Though, hopefully meeting the King and Queen of the pride would not be too much, too fast. He wasn’t really thinking about it like that. Really, he just wanted her to feel welcome here.
Because she was. And he wanted her to want to come back, really, if she did ever leave and he had to spend time without her. The invitation had to be out there, or he would miss her too much. That he already knew.
Word Count: 1032
