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Eris had been attached to the hip to his lady love, Nereid. He couldn't have found a more perfect quiet yet strong lioness to have by his side. Annoying her was half the fun but this night, on a half moon, he was on guard duty. But at least it wasn't going to be boring! He crept up on the dark blue maned lion- and jumped on top of him. Crashing them to the ground!
Giza fell forward and onto Lunarence!
"GOT YOU GIZA!"
Giza looked behind him, lifted himself and the other lion- whom he was bigger and thicker from. But Lunarence was smaller than them both. "You almost killed Luna." Giza eyerolled. "We were *talking* here."
Eris chuckled and nudged him hard.
"Don't be such a grump!"
Giza threw him off with ease and sighed. "Lunarence, this is Eris, if you didn't already know."
Eris smiled. "Hi- I heard about your litter. Are you really the son of a God? Well not a real God- like the Great Lion, but I mean you know what I mean."
Luna raised a brow. Being taken back by such an outward pretentious lion. He wanted to say something more or be pissed off but he was a slave. How could he be the son of a God if he was a slave? "Uh. No." He shrugged. "That's just a rumor." He flicked his tail. He knew who his father was... and he knew he was a real god, because only real gods had wings. He looked down his arms, decorated with the design of the wings that his father had. Luna was sure of himself, and for that he randomly found himself in the charge of Giza. Helping him with all sorts of random missions. Giza didn't treat him like a slave, he treated him like an equal. He would have helped him regardless of any rank because Giza was kind to him.
"No one is of the Great Lion. I mean maybe the King and Queen, rumors are rumors I guess. You look quite different though. It's something about you." He got close to him and put his paws in to his mane, then pet his head as if he were a cub again. Only his father did that.
"Rude." Giza threw Eris's paw away and watched out of the smaller of the mountain pass.
"I'm sorry- if I was rude! That wasn't my intention!"
"None the less you are being quite. He is a lion like us. Nothing more. Nothing less." Because Giza treated him like an equal because from his pride. He was a spirit guide- not a guard. He would teach lions how to be in touch with the spirits of the ancestors. That was exactly what they were talking about before Eris came. He wondered if Luna only trusted him, and it was likely to be the case. Turning around and looking at Eris with judgmental eyes. "Tell us Eris, About the Great Lion."
"Well. I mean." Eris shuffled his paws. "I guess everyone should know by now, if you entered the pride someone must have told you."
Giza lifted a brow. "Nope."
"Oh.. Um. Ok." He lived and breathed his family's teachings and the religion of the pride but articulating it was troublesome. "The Great Lion is up above! And when we pass away- we become stars in the night sky.." He continued. "When the moon is full- means that he is there to watch over us and when there is no moon, it is because he sleeps."
Giza looked to Luna. "That is when you were born right? With no moon?"
Luna lowered his voice. "Yes."
"I see." Giza took in this knowledge. "So no other Gods are acknowledged."
Eris lifted a brow and looked stunned. "There is no other gods. Just The Great Lion. The others that say they are gods.... are like posers. Try to lead you astray. The Great Lion brings us the moon and watches over us. We celebrate the Great Lion for all he has done for us." Giving a heavy nod.
Luna nodded, he was told about the great lion but he also knew about other gods but he kept it secret. A very very locked down secret. It seems someone said something, or else this lion wouldn't have straight away recognized him. His wing designs made him so apparent. "I'm like the dragons of the pride. That's what I have to say about it. I'm glad to have the coat of the night sky and the wings of a dragon. Honestly I have been seeing dragon like markings and it makes me feel a bit better."
Giza's moon design was something he was proud of, on his forehead but usually his mane would cover it. You would have to look up close and personal and that is something Giza hated someone taking up personal space.
"You should marry a dragon then!" Eris smiled. "I am marrying Nereid~" He sighed happily and leaned on Giza. "Nereid~" He hummed.
"Ah... Who is Nereid?" Luna spoke up, only because Giza was around. If not for him he wouldn't have said a thing and kept his head down. But this confidence was friendship based.
"Nereid is a lady~" He chimed. "Lady favored by the Great Lion. Born with the moon washing over her. She's absolutely wonderful. She isn't stuck up like other ladies. She isn't soft spoken, but she rarely speaks to others. When she speaks. You listen. The great lion keeps her safe always. I'm fascinated with her really. I am lucky to call her my wife~"
"Without popping the Question? Good one, Eris. What if someone swoops in and takes your lady?" He grazed a chuckle. Ruffling Eris's 'feathers'.
"No. It isn't like that. We are meant to be. When I met her, it was a full moon. And it was right before all the chaos, it was the last full moon before the moon disappeared. She was looking. I was looking. Then we looked at each other during the celebration and we locked eyes. I have been at her side since. Of course not in her den! I am a gentle lion." He reassured them, but really it was reassuring himself. He would never mess up the ideals, or have anyone talk ill about her. She was fierce at times, but a real lady. Proper, and he loved how polite she was.
"So how are you going to get her to marry you? Do you even know how you would do it?" Giza questioned.
Luna thought about it. "Now that the moon has come back. I'm guessing you'll do it under a full moon because you want the Great Lion to protect and honor your marriage."
"YES! Exactly!"
"But then how would you do it?" Giza pestered just because Eris was dimwitted to rub Luna the wrong way, he would use this to tease him to give him a taste of that stuck up mind set that he was exhibiting.
"She could say no. You never know what a maiden thinks."
Eris growled and huffed. His feathers were definitely ruffled. "I don't see anyone lining up to you Giza~ I at least have a lady to speak to and have wonderful conversations with. What about you~ As my friend you should be in my corner."
Giza flicked his tail. "Friend is a strong word, isn't it~"
Luna began to chuckle to himself.
Eris bared his fangs! "Hush Slave." As soon as he said it, he was taken back. Covering his maw. He never said slave before- and immediately went to apologize but Giza moved in front of Luna.
"I was joking with you. You don't have to take it out on Lunarence." Giza protected the slave in question.
Luna lowered himself and made himself as small as he could. Ears back.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean it like that- I was just-" He looked to each of them with an apologetic stare. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I never even said the word Slave before. Let anyone think anyone is any less than myself. I don't mean to bring up ranks... I just- was stupid ok? I was stupid."
Nereid had heard most of the tail end of the conversation and slowly walked up to them. Noting whom were all present. She wanted to give her man a little pick me up for his guard duty since it lasted the end of the night and in to the morning. She wanted to be supportive. But here she was hearing his blunder. Sighing. He shouldn't have gotten upset over her answer... because she was never asked!
"I apologize on behalf of my.... boyfriend. He has quite the mouthful when it comes to me. I am truly sorry." She bowed her head coming out of the shadows.
Immediately Lunarence bowed all the way to the ground- his head touching the ground. "It was my mistake my lady!"
"No. It was mine. I am the one whom teased Eris too much."
"Nereid please! Don't bow! It was my mistake. All mine- I should be more level headed."
"You should." She agreed. Then looked to Giza. "You have been a wonderful Guard and a great friend to my courting partner but it's the first time I got to meet you in lion, and now you... and you are?"
"Lunarence, my lady."
"You can stand now. You should only really bow to the king and queen right?"
"No my lady- every lady and lord too."
"Don't think because of your rank that you don't deserve the common decency of respect. For that... you have to look inside you. Like the Great Lion has-" Nereid smiled. "Even when he is asleep, he takes care of everyone. Don't think any different than that."
Giza smiled, Eris was a friend to him- but Lunarence was also a friend now and he wanted him to come out of his shell and not feel like his rank strangled him. He could do things- amazing things... now not only did he say it, but Nereid. She surely was a fierce lioness, but when she spoke, it was full of genuine care. For that, he respected her. Now she was in the flesh and not just being doted and spoken about like some fairytale Eris came up with.
"Giza... you came to us in face of the moon, but you were from another pride correct?"
"Yes."
"I am so happy you chose us."
Eris and Lunarence looked at each other and sighed. "Sorry." They said in unison.
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