Welcome to Gaia! ::

The sun was setting in spectacular fashion, the sky burning bright and furious with reds and golds and purples. Samira watched from her perch upon the top of her rocky den, one that hundreds of Ela had slept in during their migrations around their territory. Taking a deep breath of the slowly cooling air, she let out a sigh of contentment. She'd been alu'nadi for a few years now and finally felt comfortable in her skin, taking authority when needed, tattooing her clan as they grew. She'd taught and help raise the Sky clan's nvwati, a position that had been empty since she'd joined as alu'nadi and he'd been in his roll for well over a year now as well. Everything was finally settled into place and she could relax.

It allowed her mind to wander, to think of what else she wanted to do now that she was confident in her abilities to lead her clan. And that next step involved her beloved mate, Tatyana. He had been a marriage of convenience, a political move to hopefully draw the more traditional Ela to her side. He was a gentlelion and very kind and over the years love had blossomed between them, making their mateship all the easier to have. Samira was forever grateful for his gentle nudging in the right direction when she had questions about the Ela's traditions or ways of thinking and he had always stood behind her without wavering. It was finally time to focus on them.

Taking one last look at the sunset, Samira hopped off the top of the den and moved into the semi darkness within.

"Tatyana?" she called out, her voice echoing in the rocky space. "Are you up?"

The question was a common one but one that made Samira smile all the same. She glanced behind her again to take in the view, enjoying the way the dark rocks framed the burning sun and the colorful sky beyond.

"I know you do," she teased, looking back at her mate with a smile. "I think it's because the gods like a little variety in life and what better way to do it than with the sky?" It didn't hurt anyone and still showed just how powerful and beautiful the sky could be.

"It's nice that things have settled, isn't it?" she said as she moved the rest of the way into the den, bumping her forehead fondly against Tatyana's. Given his small size Samira stood a bit taller than him but his fluffy mane made it seem like he was larger than her when they were laying down. Standing up it was clear to see she was the larger of the two, even if she wasn't a terribly large lion herself.

Samira nodded slightly in agreement - things had gotten very tumultuous for a few months there and there had been a lot of uncertainty in the pride. Things had mellowed out and although she was still on watch to ensure nothing happened to her clan, the peace that followed the strange flashes in the sky and shaking of the earth was almost like a promise. Things wouldn't be like that again for some time.

"Today is not yesterday," she agreed with a smile. "And tomorrow is not today. Nothing is promised but much is possible. I'm glad you're happy," Samira added fondly. She knew Tatyana had left a lot behind in joining her on this journey and he had sacrificed a lot, but to know he was content made her more eager to pose her question to him.

"I think," she said as she looked back out at the setting sun. "That we've done a lot of work for this clan, and now it's time to work on our clan." Glancing back at her mate, Samira's smile grew just a bit.

"So long as you're willing, of course. I think we've earned it to be a bit selfish for a while. I've been thinking about it for some time now and I was hoping you would be interested in being a father." Tatyana was a bit older than her but he certainly wasn't past his prime. A few more years perhaps and he might not have the energy to chase after cubs, but for now he certainly would be able to help.