Upon a return trip to the Pride's lands, the golden dust that follows the Pride lions close to their fur raced toward the trio. Instantly the three lions felt their weakness and hunger vanish. Like all the others, it supplied them with all they needed. This trip was different however. Ruby and Sapphire knew how special this visit would be. They were quiet, energy buzzing around them. The small cub at their paws though it odd, but did not speak. She did not want to break the silence between them however curious she was.
Seeking out their mother, Yejida, they spoke with her in quiet whispers just out of earshot of Gemstone. Craning her neck and straining her large ears, she tried to catch what it was they were saying but still couldn't quite hear. She settled back onto her haunches with an unsatisfied light in her eyes. Her guardians had finally finished their conversation with the mystic and returned to the cub. They smiled warmly at her, nuzzling her cheeks lovingly.
"Yejida is going to watch you for a while, Gem, okay? We need to speak with Ethereal." Ruby told her, but she knew there was something he wasn't telling her. She smiled back, though, and nodded one. "Okay!"
Her day with Yejida was nice. Lions came and went constantly, and she was allowed to help out some with tasks. However the fact that something was off between Sapphire and Ruby kept nagging at her mind and made her feel unfocused. She was washing paws in a puddle, playing with the different minerals settled at the bottom of the water, when the red and blue lions returned.
Not paying any mind to what was going on around her, Gemstone flinched and startled when a paw touched her shoulder.
"Gemstone. We have not been fully honest with the reason for our visit today." Ruby began.
"I know.. You both aren't the best at hiding things." Gemstone murmured, smiling at them over her shoulder.
Sapphire chuckled a little. "Come with us. Everything will become clear to you shortly."
As she followed behind Ruby and Sapphire, she noticed both Yejida and Akeno approaching them. As well as Jet and surprisingly Onyx. The cub noted the excitement that shone in the older lions' eyes and that radiated off of them as they each gave her an affectionate nuzzle on the top of her head. Normally the eye planted on her forehead was closed, but she opened it to look at them all.
"Why are you all so excited? And getting the family together? Normally we come and everyone just keeps doing their own thing?" she questioned, voice brimming with unclear emotions.
"Just come with us." Ruby's voice rumbled behind her. Without another word, the group of lions headed off toward the Grand Chamber. Gemstone herself had never been inside, however all of her family had. For them, this would be their second or third trip. Perhaps more.
The chamber was dark and dimly lit. A single flame flickered at either side of the massive cavern and reflected in the water that flowed through it. Gemstone gazed around at the cave, taking in every detail she could without hesitating or stopping. Her eyes finally came to rest on a lion with a large mane. His mane was dark and pale green eyes stood out against his natural tones. She instantly recognized him as Ethereal and was quick to close her middle eye.
Her paws lingered, seemingly frozen to the stone, before Onyx nosed her from behind to keep going. She quickly scampered to catch up to Ruby and Sapphire, grit falling from her paws. He was an intimidating being to be before, though she knew of his gentle nature.
"Gemstone." his voice echoed around the cavern and he did not continue until the faintest of echoes had faded, "Open your eye, dear. Do you know why you are here?"
She could feel herself trembling and swallowed hard, shaking her head as she slowly opened the eye violet eye that rested between maroon and cerulean orbs. "N-no Sir.." she murmured, her voice tiny.
"Relax, little one. We are gathered here today for a grand ceremony and a sort of a right of passage." As he spoke, a few more lions appeared behind him. She assumed they were his council. "Little Gemstone here has reached her two hundredth year of life, and as tradition holds, her guardians Ruby and Sapphire, have brought her here for the golden sands to surround her and to gain her adult forms- just as generations have before her."
"I bless this young lioness with prosperity, understanding, and forgiveness in her new life."
As Ethereal's roar rang out against the stone cavern, golden sand flooded from all directions. It weaved around those standing in the chamber, gathering and swirling around the small pink form that was Gemstone. The mass of magic sand glowed brightly as it continued to swirl around the cub faster and faster until it rushed in to her. Her squeak of surprise was smothered, transforming into a mighty roar as the sand flashed brightly, causing every lion in the cavern to close their eyes tightly.
As the light faded and twinkled out, the sands retreated away, back to where it had come from, and one by one the lions began to open their eyes. The small family unit that had joined her in the chamber gasped quietly, and Sapphire leaned against her brother's powerful frame.
"Gemstone." Ethereal began again, "Live your life well and enjoy it. Do not let fear hold you back from what- and who- you love."
Gemstone nodded to him, realizing how much taller she felt as she noticed she did not have to life her head quite as much to see him. She placed a paw on the stone, a reflective layer hematite standing tall before her. The lioness could only stare in wonder as she gazed at her reflection. She was a matured lioness now. No longer was she a cub. A new journey was about to overly their old one, she could feel it in her bone.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Gemstone has grown!! I meant to post this yesterday.. but I was busy. Better late than never, yeah??
My little girl is no longer little, but that doesn't mean she'd gonna change. She's still the sweet, kind-hearted Gem we all know and love.
I'm looking forward to her life as an adult. <33
Gemstone(C) -WillowKist
LoC(C) starry-knight
Seeking out their mother, Yejida, they spoke with her in quiet whispers just out of earshot of Gemstone. Craning her neck and straining her large ears, she tried to catch what it was they were saying but still couldn't quite hear. She settled back onto her haunches with an unsatisfied light in her eyes. Her guardians had finally finished their conversation with the mystic and returned to the cub. They smiled warmly at her, nuzzling her cheeks lovingly.
"Yejida is going to watch you for a while, Gem, okay? We need to speak with Ethereal." Ruby told her, but she knew there was something he wasn't telling her. She smiled back, though, and nodded one. "Okay!"
Her day with Yejida was nice. Lions came and went constantly, and she was allowed to help out some with tasks. However the fact that something was off between Sapphire and Ruby kept nagging at her mind and made her feel unfocused. She was washing paws in a puddle, playing with the different minerals settled at the bottom of the water, when the red and blue lions returned.
Not paying any mind to what was going on around her, Gemstone flinched and startled when a paw touched her shoulder.
"Gemstone. We have not been fully honest with the reason for our visit today." Ruby began.
"I know.. You both aren't the best at hiding things." Gemstone murmured, smiling at them over her shoulder.
Sapphire chuckled a little. "Come with us. Everything will become clear to you shortly."
As she followed behind Ruby and Sapphire, she noticed both Yejida and Akeno approaching them. As well as Jet and surprisingly Onyx. The cub noted the excitement that shone in the older lions' eyes and that radiated off of them as they each gave her an affectionate nuzzle on the top of her head. Normally the eye planted on her forehead was closed, but she opened it to look at them all.
"Why are you all so excited? And getting the family together? Normally we come and everyone just keeps doing their own thing?" she questioned, voice brimming with unclear emotions.
"Just come with us." Ruby's voice rumbled behind her. Without another word, the group of lions headed off toward the Grand Chamber. Gemstone herself had never been inside, however all of her family had. For them, this would be their second or third trip. Perhaps more.
The chamber was dark and dimly lit. A single flame flickered at either side of the massive cavern and reflected in the water that flowed through it. Gemstone gazed around at the cave, taking in every detail she could without hesitating or stopping. Her eyes finally came to rest on a lion with a large mane. His mane was dark and pale green eyes stood out against his natural tones. She instantly recognized him as Ethereal and was quick to close her middle eye.
Her paws lingered, seemingly frozen to the stone, before Onyx nosed her from behind to keep going. She quickly scampered to catch up to Ruby and Sapphire, grit falling from her paws. He was an intimidating being to be before, though she knew of his gentle nature.
"Gemstone." his voice echoed around the cavern and he did not continue until the faintest of echoes had faded, "Open your eye, dear. Do you know why you are here?"
She could feel herself trembling and swallowed hard, shaking her head as she slowly opened the eye violet eye that rested between maroon and cerulean orbs. "N-no Sir.." she murmured, her voice tiny.
"Relax, little one. We are gathered here today for a grand ceremony and a sort of a right of passage." As he spoke, a few more lions appeared behind him. She assumed they were his council. "Little Gemstone here has reached her two hundredth year of life, and as tradition holds, her guardians Ruby and Sapphire, have brought her here for the golden sands to surround her and to gain her adult forms- just as generations have before her."
"I bless this young lioness with prosperity, understanding, and forgiveness in her new life."
As Ethereal's roar rang out against the stone cavern, golden sand flooded from all directions. It weaved around those standing in the chamber, gathering and swirling around the small pink form that was Gemstone. The mass of magic sand glowed brightly as it continued to swirl around the cub faster and faster until it rushed in to her. Her squeak of surprise was smothered, transforming into a mighty roar as the sand flashed brightly, causing every lion in the cavern to close their eyes tightly.
As the light faded and twinkled out, the sands retreated away, back to where it had come from, and one by one the lions began to open their eyes. The small family unit that had joined her in the chamber gasped quietly, and Sapphire leaned against her brother's powerful frame.
"Gemstone." Ethereal began again, "Live your life well and enjoy it. Do not let fear hold you back from what- and who- you love."
Gemstone nodded to him, realizing how much taller she felt as she noticed she did not have to life her head quite as much to see him. She placed a paw on the stone, a reflective layer hematite standing tall before her. The lioness could only stare in wonder as she gazed at her reflection. She was a matured lioness now. No longer was she a cub. A new journey was about to overly their old one, she could feel it in her bone.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Gemstone has grown!! I meant to post this yesterday.. but I was busy. Better late than never, yeah??
My little girl is no longer little, but that doesn't mean she'd gonna change. She's still the sweet, kind-hearted Gem we all know and love.
I'm looking forward to her life as an adult. <33
Gemstone(C) -WillowKist
LoC(C) starry-knight
