how does the world perceive me
perceiving myself...?
sun-smudged peach moon
softer than an ice cream cone in June
and why is it that
thunder purrs so strikingly at night?
Spectre is a newcomer to the River Kingdom pride. Not much is known about her past, only that she came willingly from a benevolent pride far to the north along with two young cubs. Her former pride was always good and caring but, by her own words, just not right for her. She surprisingly enjoys the wandering life of the river kingdom, even though the pride looses many members a moon for the exact opposite reason. Spectre's own cubs decided, when they were independent, that this life of their mother's was not for them, and set out of their own path. She misses them, but believes they were well loved and well prepared for the outside world.
During her early days with the River Kingdom, the pride stopped to camp for a few days in the sparse, cool grassland by a river. There were cubs due soon, and cubs born by a river were always the strongest. Spectre, with her own cubs newly weaned and feeling uncertain about her hunting skills, sought a private place to practice her hunting. Her seeking took her to the edge of a lusher, greener plain, alive with prey. It was here she discovered a fatal flaw in her appearance. Out in the open as she was, her coat is too darkly marked to hide. Her previous pride lived in a jungle, where light was scarce anyways: it never mattered her coloring, as long as she could be patient. With each failed pounce, missed opportunity, she grew more and more frustrated. If she could not contribute, her position in her new pride was threatened.
Exhausted from her hunts, and despairing at the thought of returning to her pride, Spectre slumped down where she stood in the tall grass and slept.
When she awoke, it was to a light song. Sitting in the grass, mere steps away, was another lioness. Her name was
Solanio, and she was a member of the
local pride. She had seen Spectre sleeping, compelled her pridemates to let the solitary lioness alone, and sat with her to ward off any ill-willed strangers.
Spectre, struck with sudden shock and embarrassment, was absolutely entranced with the strange but beautiful lioness. Her scent was sweet as honey, her voice soft as down. Luckily for her, Solanio found her equally interesting.
They spent the rest of the day together, and met again several times after that. Spectre met the rest of Solanio's harem and took no time at all to settle into the dynamic.
Their affair was loving and dreamlike, but tragically brief. The River Kingdom is always migrating further, and on the dawn of the tenth day, Spectre awoke to her king and his court calling together the pride to move on. Spectre, torn as she was between her new lovers, was compelled to go. It was the life she had chosen and craved desperately.
They said goodbye, and Spectre promised to return, whether it be in a season, year, or lifetime.
Spectre and Solanio were not apart for nearly that long, thankfully. The next year, Spectre returned to Solanio's lands, bright and beautiful and having grown only fonder of her lover. She was not alone, however. In the year they had been apart, Spectre had gained a life partner in
Qetesh. She introduced her "girlfriend" and "wife," who got along splendidly, to her pride.
And although they are never able to reunite for long, their love lasts through any separation of land or time.
art by
#38222
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