Fruitgaze

Fruitgaze came in with her mother from another pride, The mother seemed dejected, but this soon changed as Dunmat, the ruling male, took an interest in her and one of her cubs particularly. Fruitgaze was scooped up by the king and looked over, carefully: Eyes, weight, health, cry, everything was minded by the king. A low bellow and she was skied off to a seprate den from her mom and sibling. She was scared but soon was comforted by a mothering lioness who explained in words she could understand...She was chosen.

The lionesses fussed about her, gently dressing her in shells and other light-weight decorations. She is soon set beside another lioness cub who was a chosen cub but seemed too young to understand what was going on, who was soon introduced as Spicegaze, who was being tended to so that they would be trained together, then when they were older, one of them would become the court healer. Fruit gaze was older than most when their training began, but with luck she'd catch on quickly. As such the journey begins....

Moons came and went, the pair's training flowed like the river that fed the falls around the pride's home, and at last the night of the selection ceremony arrived.

The pride gathered around the new king and awaited their decision; though none more anxious of the choice as the two young healers. The ruling queen let her voice be heard over the roar of the falls. And with a word, Fruitgaze's heart trembled, she had been passed up as court healer...for a lion several moons her junior. Though she knew her path was just as important, she couldn't help feeling bitter though she knew it would pass in time.