ORIGIN

If there was one thing she could say about the young fox it was that she was certainly attentive. Her ears were perked and eyes bright as she listened to her short narrative. At the mention of Leon being a special friend with special feelings Ky felt a blush underneath her fur at her cheeks and ears. The ears themselves lowered shyly as she swallowed. "Uhm... special friend feelings. Leon isn't my boyfriend. I love him but it's not the same as it is with Cancer." Though some part of her deep down, a part she wanted to ignore wasn't happy about it. She loved Cancer but there was something special about Leon. Their bond was strong, so strong that they could even feel each others emotions and pain. That was nothing she'd ever seen or heard of with anyone else.

Fortunatley the pup changed the subject and the lioness let out a silent sigh of relief. "I know he didn't mean it. Still, you shouldn't do or say things that might hurt others' feelings." That was spoken almost ambiguously as if it wasn't just Cancer she was speaking of. After all, Quix had just called the feline "fat leopard" even though he wasn't around it still wasn't nice. If there was one thing she always tried to teach it was good manners.

"Leon..." Her voice was faraway and wistful as she spoke his name. She didn't know if the fox could see them from her position but her eyes softened with a melancholy expression. Makyna wrapped her paws around the fox as she nestled into her fur, offering her a sort of cradle while she began her story. "I suppose I should start from the beginning..." Those eyes looked almost misty as she began to speak and for a moment she called upon her magic but felt nothing sparking so she ignored the pull and just used her words. "When I was born I was laid on a field of ice in a dark tunnel. Leon, he's a large brown grizzly bear, came along and rescued me and cuddled me back to warmth. Ever since that day we've been best friends. We went on all sorts of adventures together and traveled along, never far apart." A smile came onto her face as her eyes half-closed. "Me and Leon joined Maji Walezi together after we wandered upon Pisces. Even after that we had all sorts of adventures... though it became less so after, well... Cancer became my boyfriend. I think he wanted to give us space which is part of the reason that he ended up leaving that night after Truth or Dare." Her ears sagged as she thought about it again. Makyna no longer blamed herself completely but she still wished she could have turned back the hands of time to stop Cancer from doing his dance and song.

Her head shook as she cleared her head, peering down at the pup with a smile on her face. "But that's enough talk about sad things. I'm sure Leon will turn up when he wants to... I just have a feeling." The lion's voice was hopeful as she knew the bear would show up when he was ready. Perhaps she would just have to suck it up and go back to Pisces without him... no matter how painful it was. As much as she missed Leon she was also missing Cancer as well. A few moments of silence passed as Makyna stared upwards towards a nearby tree. A few birds were chirping a sweet melody, a melody which made her think of a song. "Say, would you like to hear a song, little one?" Songs were happy and it always cheered her up to sing.

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Yes, they did hurt Makyna but it still hadn't been on purpose. Life wasn't so black and white. Ah well, the lioness was moving on from those past events or at least trying. It was easier to look ahead, better to look forward than back. The past was done but the future was yet to be written. That was how she'd look at it. She would do her darnest to keep the peace and do her job if she could. "Yes, they're both very good but even good people made bad decisions." Terrible awful horrible decisions...

When the little fox pup sat up and turned to her the lioness smiled. Well, she couldn't very well refuse an audience now could she? Singing was something that she completely enjoyed anyhow. So, the lioness pulled upon her magic and soon faint sounds --barely audible in the forest-- like bells and music could be heard. Even though it was faint due to a weak cast the faintness helped the atmosphere for the song. Then, she opened her mouth began to sing,

"

Just when you think
Hope is lost,
And giving up
Is all you got,
And blue turns black,
Your confidence is cracked,
There seems no turning back from here

Sometimes there isn't an obvious explanation
Why the holiest hearts can feel the strongest palpitations

That's when you can build a bridge of light,
That's what turns the wrong so right
That's when you can't give up the fight

That's when love turns night time into day,
That's when loneliness goes away,
That's why you gotta be strong tonight,
Only love can build us a bridge of light...
"

Her voice quieted for a moment as she sang to the young fox and prepared to sing the next verse. The magic still held with the accompanying background music. She wondered if the young fox knew how to sing?
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Makyna smiled, thrilled that the young pup thought her voice was nice. She gave a purr when she was licked on her nose and gave the fox a return lick on the forehead. She would have continued with the song but the little one before her began to sing. The lioness grinned from ear to ear, happy to have someone else that loved to sing too. It made her happy to hear someone else singing along to the melody. Not to mention someone with such a lovely voice like hers. For now it was young, a bit juvenile, but it promised to mature and have very sweet tones.

Makyna's tail tapped to the rhythm and she slowly sat up as the young one's tone built for the chorus. The lion's eyes half-lidded, obviously enjoying the melodic sounds. Ky rose all the way to her four paws, head lowering to poke the fox playfully on the cheek as she continued, "Deep breeeaaath," Her head lifted and she turned to use her tail to gently chuck the cub under the chin with her next verse, "Take it on the chiiiin," She began to pad away but stopped and turned her head to look over her shoulder at the cub with a cheeky grin, "But don't forgeeeet..." She crouched and with a laugh began to run, daring the pup to chase after her in a surge of joy brought on by having the little pup as a daughter and the movement of the song. "To let love back iiiin!"

If the cub wanted to, while they ran together, she could sing along with her at the same time.
"
That's when love can build a bridge of light
That's what turns the wrong so right
That's when you can't give up the fight

And that's when love turns night time into day,
That's when loneliness goes away
That's why you gotta be strong tonight
'Cause only love can build us a bridge of liiiight!
"

After the last stanza she paused in her running and rolled onto the ground in a laughing heap on her back, allowing the pup to climb onto her if she so wanted. "Fantastic! You sound like a Songcat yourself, young Quix." Her voice was happy and proud all the same. She hadn't had this much fun in ages. Then, in that moment a thought occurred to her... If she ever got back to Maji Walezi would there be other creatures that wanted to sing? It would be lovely to have a whole group dedicated to that.
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The lioness' joy didn't subside in the least as the little fox landed on her belly. She used her paws to gently hug the small pup. When Quix laid down against her belly she held her for a few moments, a purr rumbling up in her throat as the little one was lulled to sleep. Makyna felt her own self starting to doze off but shook herself awake. They would need a more secure location to sleep so nothing snuck up on them.

Very carefully she maneuvered so that she get get Quix's scruff in her mouth. She gently lifted the cub up and then turned to get on her feet. Now she walked until she found a small shelter made by overlapping ferns. She tucked herself down into it then gently laid Quix at her flank. Then her head turned as she looked outwards at the area around them, an attentive mother lion watching over her cub until she herself felt the call of sleep. Then she curled up around Quix and fell asleep.
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