He had been staying there on the edges of the Bahari pride and trying not to be noticed too much, he didn’t want to find any distance relatives or anything like that. He just wanted to wander and enjoy the company of the sea. He was interested in a lioness that was around his age, but wasn’t sure if she was what was keeping him around.

Ailani wasn’t really a deep lion, he was just here to have fun and see where life took him. For now he was enjoying the company of gulls and the sea. There cries made he startle at first but then they were turning into a soft call and lullaby. He lay half in and out of the water, the waves lapping at his back legs as he dosed.


Tilifika had found love, true love. He was kind and strong, he protected his home and wanted a family. She didn’t know if she was too old for that and her visions hadn’t told her anything. They were quiet, it was like the sand of the ocean had quieted the earthquake in her mind, she no longer had headaches, but with the headaches fleeing - she never saw anything coming.

She worried, furrowed brows and walked along the sand, she loved the feel if it shifting beneath her feet. The sand and the quiet ocean was slowly easing the worry.

She stopped abruptly there seemed to be something large...and dead in the water. She rushed towards the big bulk of fur, she couldn’t see his face.

“ARE YOU OKAY?” She yelled shrilly.


Ailani was just drifting into a deeper sleep when someone was rushing him and screaming, he turned abruptly and saw a very large cream colored lioness rushing his way.

“Fine, fine,” he stood slowly shaking sand and water from himself. “I was enjoying the feel of the water on my skin and taking a nap.” It was fairly early in the day, most lions were not up and dawn had just broke. He had spent the night staring out into the water and gathering a small collection of shells and things along the beach by the light of a sliver of a moon.

He gave her his silly smile, "are you alright?”


Her heart was pounding a mile a minute and she just started at the other large lion blinking slowly, she’d thought he was dead, she was being worried for nothing.

“You looked like something dead that washed up… I just thought…” she trailed off embarrassed.
“I’m sorry to disturb your nap, sir. I’ll be on my way.”


“You don’t have to be on your way,” he said smoothly, he wasn’t flirting but being his own friendly self, “Are you from the Bahari? I’ve been staying on the edges here not sure where to go from here.” Ailani shook his body again letting the rest of the water and sand rush off of him. He stepped a few feet closer to her and sat down out of the tide’s reach.

In truth he was trying to sort out if it was finally time to settle down and be apart of something instead of running from place to place - these were deeper thoughts than the large lion usually had and he wasn’t sure whether to be happy he was considering it or sad that he was thinking of taking on responsibilities somewhere.

“My name is Ailani,” he smiled, “I’m not from around here originally, just enjoying the ocean.”



She stood hesitantly and then sat down, he seemed nice, and there was no way the guards would let anyone threatening stay this close to the pride. Her fur ruffled as she sat and the worried look stayed on her face anyways.

“I am Tili, I just recently joined the Bahari, I fell in love with someone here.” She laughed lightly, “I couldn’t keep sitting on the edges and waiting.” She wasn’t usually so forthcoming but Tili really wanted to help this stranger for some reason.

“If you head any further in this direction you’ll be in the Bahari lands,” she gestured with her paw. I have found that a lot of lions come just to enjoy the ocean.


“Pleasure to meet you, Tilifika,” he bowed his head slightly and continued to listen to her. She seemed very nice to be around and he smiled at that. She’d found love here and stayed. He felt uncomfortable with that idea, staying in one place, he was older, was love really on the table? He couldn’t get Yawo out of his head but had just met her, she appeared to be so kind and genuine, like she wasn’t just telling him a story.

“My father was from here, but I haven’t spoken to him in a long time, and I stumbled upon the Bahari almost by accident. I intended to just find an ocean, imagine my surprise when I find the same one my father is from.” He laughed heartily with mischief in his eyes and his tail thumped the ground.

“I’ve been a drifter for so long, settling for love sounds a little frightening. But, I’ve always gone where the wind tells me, and followed my nose.”


“Maybe it was fate? Maybe the wind and your nose brought you here for a reason?” She spoke knowing that sometimes things are just meant to be as they are and not to question them, there was no questioning her visions they were always correct.

“I traveled for a very long time, running from my past and looking for a future. I followed my instincts and the words of a seer, they all led me here. There was no running from my fate.” Tili smiled tenderly, “I’m not saying this is your fate, that’s up to you. But, don’t rule anything out, you know?”


Ailani almost laughed, he was such a free spirit the idea that fate dictated what he did was laughable to him. He kept his giggles to himself and covered a few with stifled coughs. He looked up awkwardly, tears at the corners of his eyes.

“I have been far and wide and do not know if I can believe that something else is telling me where to be and when. I am just in the moment at all times, ya know?”


She smiled at him wryly, sensing that he didn’t believe in fate and she laughed herself; she knew the exact feeling he was feeling. She had wandered and wandered wherever her paws could take her and she still found the sands of her vision.

“We’ll have to agree to disagree, Ailani. Perhaps I’ll see you in the pride sometime.” She gave him that wry smile again.

“I should be getting back to my own fate.” She bowed her head and started back down the ocean lost in her thoughts about starting a family.


Ailani was grateful that she took his small outburst well but was surprised when the mysterious lioness just left on her way without waiting for him to acknowledge her. Perhaps she was a free spirit as he was, but with a much higher understanding of the way the world worked. He laughed and settled back down to his nap, thinking about pretty lionesses and the ocean.