Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Sleep was becoming a routine thing finally. Now that he and James were okay with each other, now that they weren’t fighting. He was able to actually sleep. It seemed that sleep was not a common thing when he and James were at odds. It was something strange, but it seemed the two had become so attached that the young lion found it difficult to sleep when the colt was mad at him. But now they were happy with each other. They had even gone on an adventure together to a place called Cetus. He had found quite a few new herbs to add to his garden several of them being flowers.

The young lion inhaled deeply holding it for a moment before letting it out in a rush through his jaws. He was just beginning to stir from a good sleep. The young lion rolled to his belly the deer hide blanket he had been sleeping under sliding off of him and onto the floor in a lump. He blinked his eyes several times to try and clear the sleep, however this seemed of little effect. A wide yawn parted the young lion’s jaws exposing his sharp pointed teeth. Lifting a forepaw the young lion rubbed his face free the sleep from his eyes. Seeing much more clearly the young lion gazed around his room, his baby blue eyes falling a stone of near the same color. A large egg shaped gem in the middle of the room.

Slowly the young lion rolled to his feet and moved to the stone nuzzling it affectionately. Good morning my darling Abraxas. He purred as he gently nuzzled his face against the smooth surface of the egg. He knew that a life was glimmering within the egg, but he needed to actually give it life, He planned to do that soon, somehow. He just wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to do that yet.

After saying his good mornings to the stone, the young lion wandered into the main room of his home where two trees grew twine around each other. A Mango and an apple tree, a present for his best friend. They had been growing long enough that small fruit had begun to form in place of the small little blooms. The young lion gave a soft proud purr. They had been one of the first things he had grown when he had learned how to make them grow to their blooming stage. He was still working on getting them passed blooming to fruit bearing but he wasn’t sure how much magic he would need to do that, or perhaps his magic just hadn’t worked up to that yet. Maybe for now he had hit his limit and was only able to grow blooming plants, and that was alright he was where he needed to be.

Today Aristotle had planned to begin planting his flowers along the upper floor ring to bring a sweet scent into the house. James had brought a few lovely flowers. They appeared to be the same kind of flower only in different colors. Moving to the front entrance the young lion picked up a hide with no fur on it. He had cleaned it just for transporting earth from one place to another. Holding the hide in his jaws the young lion moved outside the front of his house and up onto a large hill. He started diggin making sure the earth he threw behind him landed on the hide. He was going to be using the hide to move the earth inside his home and up onto the upper floor ring. This process took several hours, but a small layer of dirt was beginning to form on a fifteen foot area of floor.

The young lion sat down for a moment to rest. This being his near twentieth trip from the hill to his home and up the stairs. He had been working quite hard. Finally finding he had a good even layer after almost eight hours of work. The young lion had made a good layer of dirt around the entire ring, and even on the steps leading up.

For a moment the young lion lay down under the trees in the main room to rest, his baby blue eyes closing for a moment. He lay there resting his body for a time before he started to drain his magic. He would be using his magic to help the flowers James had brought home to take root once more in the dirt he had transferred into his home. Picking up one of the plants gently by the root covered bulb, the young lion moved to the bottom step and dug a small hole placing the plant bulb first into the dirt. He placed his paws on either side of the bulb and focused. He pressed with his magic into the plant willing the roots to begin to take hold in the soil. It seemed this too would come to him quite easily as he felt the roots begin to form and push from the bulb taking hold in the fresh earth.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion was becoming rather proud of his ability to grow plants. They were most of the time lush and healthy when he grew them. They always seemed to enjoy the touch of his magic, seeming to yearn for it actually. The plants seemed to reach out to him as he reached out to them. The young lion let out a soft purr as he admired the brilliant yellow flower that now grew next to the wall on the bottom step. James had wonderful taste in decorating flowers, these were lovely and they smell fantastic.

The young lion moved from the step to the pile of fresh flowers. He was gentle as he picked up one of the white ones. He was going to make a pattern. Yellow, white, yellow, white, he intended to do that all the way up the steps but he wasn’t sure James had brought enough for that. However he would do his best and try to make it work. Aristotle moved with purpose as he moved to the second step. The young lion dug a small hole in the layer of dirt and gently placed the flower inside bulb first. Gently the young lion filled the dirt in around the plant and its leaves, being extra careful not to break any of the long delicate stem.

Finishing that, the young lion placed his paws on either side of the lilies. Taking a deep breath the young lion focused with his magic and sent it into the bulb urging the roots to grow. It didn’t take long for the young lion to feel the bulb begin to spread its roots out into the soil and take root in its new home.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion let out a pleased purr as he admired the large white blooms of the lily. It was gorgeous and the smell was divine. He was glad James had brought them home. They added color and charm to the inside of his dirt filled home. Most people sweep the dirt out, Aristotle on the other hand, had transported almost a hundred pounds of dirt to the inside of his home in order to make the inside just as much of a garden as the outside. He intended to even cover the front in vines, he wanted his home to be the green lush oasis of Orion. A place where when one visited they felt calm and collected. But something was missing, and he knew what it was. It was the soothing sound of birdsong and the sweet sounds of small creatures munching on the underbrush.

That was it, he needed to bring in some lessers to make his home more bright. Perhaps he could catch a couple of Rainbow Spinners and breed them to create a flock that lived in his tree inside. His home was the only lush place in Orion, they would find his home to have plenty of food. Or at the very least he was going to make it a perfect habitat for a few birds to live. The young lion gave a thoughtful wave of his slender tufted tail.

The young lion moved from the second step and back to the pile of flowers with bulbs for roots. He picked up another yellow one and headed for the third step. Digging a small hole the young lion gently placed the plant into the hole and tucked dirt in around the plant. Taking a deep breath the young lion centered himself. Closing his eyes the young lion focused his magic and pushed it into the bulb of the plant, he urged its roots to begin to grow. And slowly the roots began to snake their way through the soft soil they had been placed in.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion stood admiring the three flowers he now had growing on his steps. They were beautiful with their vibrant yellow and snowy whites, they added color and vibrance to his home and he couldn’t help but admire it. However there was not much time to just stand around. The longer he took planting them, the closer the poor flowers came to dying. And James had worked too hard to bring them to him for him to just let them fade away. Without much more thought to the matter the young lion turned noting he only had one white and two yellow left to plant, then he could move on to other plants James had brought him. The nightshade berries and peaches needed to be planted.

Moving to the flowers he picked up one of the last two yellow ones and moved to the fourth stair and dug a small hole. Gently he placed the plant in bulb first before he filled in the dirt around it. Standing on the lower steps with his back paws the young lion placed his front paws in front of the small little mound of dirt around the base of the flower stem. Taking a deep breath the young lion focused himself and sent a gentle wave of energy into the dirt and into the bulb. Quickly he began to feel the roots to start snaking their way into the dirt. He couldn’t help but notice just how good he was getting at doing this. At least he only had two flowers a couple berries and a peach left to plant.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion purred moving down a step as he looked at the flower, then turned around and moved down to retrieve the last white one. Turning around he climbed up to the fifth step and dug a small hole in the dirt. James would be so happy to see what he had brought him being used to decorate his home. When Abraxas finally hatched she would have a bright and happy home to live in. Aristotle would teach her to hunt, James could teach her to run. The young lion sighed happily. He couldn’t have asked for a better life. Whatever being there was that gave them life he thanked them for giving him the life he had.

Gently the young lion sat the flowers in the soil and filled the dirt in around them. The young lion gently placed his forepaws on the step beside the lily. Closing his eyes the young lion took a deep breath and let it out as he focused himself. However it would seem his magic would be a bit stronger than intended, as the flower grew a vibrant green, the leaves unfurling and becoming a vibrant healthy green. The white flowers becoming more robust and snowy in color, as the unopened buds burst to life and popped open as a network of roots grew into the wood of the stair itself.

The young lion gasped stepping back, he missed the stair and tumbled down landing on his back with a thud. The landing knocking the wind out of him with a grunt. Gasping and coughing the young lion lay on his back for a few moments. It hadn’t been a long fall but the landing had hurt. Rolling to his stomach the Young lion lay there for a moment.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Laying there Aristotle gasped again in a raspy voice, as he exhaled he coughed harshing. The young lion’s eyes began to burn and his back hurt. Finally able to catch his breath the young lion still lay where he landed. This had been a new experience. He had never fallen off of anything before, now he knew what it was like to fall. It was not fun and he didn’t want to do it again. However it would not stop him from climbing, he was a cat after all. Finally after what had been several minutes the young lion stood and shook himself to rid his pelt of any dirt or debris he had picked up in his fall.

He was glad James hadn’t been there when he failed that badly. Not only would he worry and fuss over him making sure he was alright, he probably wouldn’t let him climb anymore. Perhaps he could figure out a way to make a permanent ramp up the center of the stairs to make it easier to climb. Letting out an irritated huff the young lion went back to work.

He moved back over to his waiting plants. He picked up the last yellow lily and moved to the sixth and last step from the landing of the second floor. This would be where the lilies ended and his other medicinal flowers would begin. He had plans for everything that went into his garden.

The young lion easily dug the last hole and placed the last lilly into its new home. The young lion gently moved the dirt back into place around the base of the flower and around the bulb. Finishing that the young lion gently placed his front paws beside the flower. The young lion focused himself by taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly. But it would seem his magic would fail him this time, as nothing seemed to happen. Perhaps the fall had effected him in more than one way. Perhaps he hadn’t been focused enough. Whatever it was the plant failed to grow new roots.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion stared at the last yellow lily for a moment. His magic had failed him, he had been unable to urge the plant to grow new roots in the fresh laid soil. The young lion let out a growl of irritation. Closing his eyes he tried to calm himself. There was no use in getting mad over it. If he failed he could just try again, and again. If you failed you kept trying until you found a way to make it work. At least that’s how he felt about things.

He had to do this. He had to make his home beautiful and friendly for Abraxas and James. They were all going to live as a happy family together. And to do that meant to have his flowers planted and lively. Of course his magic would fail him right after he had managed to go overboard on it before he did it. The young lion snorted in irritation. Walking down from the stairs for a moment the lion walked around the twisted fruit trees in the center of the room whose top brushed the ceiling of the top floor. Their flowers had fallen away and small fruits had taken their place that were now readying to become full robust fruit.

Feeling much more calm now, the young lion walked back up the stairs and prepared himself to cast the spell again. The young lion placed his front paws on the stair beside the flower, closing his eyes the young lion took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he focused himself. He sent out a wave of energy. This time he felt it settle in the bulb of the plant as it began to force its roots through the soft fresh soil.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion moved to the landing of the upper floor, and stood looking down the stairs lined with the yellow and white lilies James had brought him. They were magnificent and growing steadily. The young lion was rather proud of how the line of flowers had turned out, and was delighted with the splash of color they added to the grey walls of the domicile. A loud pleased purr came lilting from the young lion’s throat as he admired his work.

Slowly the young lion descended the stairs sniffing the sweet smelling lilies as he went. His paws packing down the earth on the stairs with each passing he made today. Leisurely the young lion walked over to the pile of seeds and berries James had brought home for him. The berries smelled extremely bitter and sour. He knew they were not to be ingested and would be the last to be planted as they had a special place in the upper floor near the wall where they would be in case he ever needed them.

Leaning down the young lion picked up the two peach seeds and headed for the back garden. He was intending to plant them at the back entry point of the yard. He was going to use them to block the break in the wall to keep anyone from wandering into his home. Stopping at the break in the back wall, a direct line from the back door. Using his large front paws and claws the young lion began to dig a hole, not a very deep hole but one large enough for two trees to grow comfortable together next to each other. The young lion dropped both seeds into the hole and pushed the dirt back into the hole on top of the seeds. Setting his paws beside the mound of dirt the young lion took a deep breath to focus himself, as he did he reached deep into himself and opened the well spring of his magic as he poured it out into the seeds. However it would seem his magic would not come this time, as nothing at all happened when he pulled for his magic.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The young lion stared at the earth mound that had not yielded his trees. Frustration began to rise in the young lion as he stared at the ground. A soft growl left the young lion as he stood there. It was rare but at times his magic did fail him. When it happened it always frustrated him and it always took him a few moments to calm down after it happened.

The young lion walked away to the center of the yard rubbing his side on the bark of the apple tree that stood there. Using the trees rough bark the young lion scratched his side on the tree. Rubbing his cheek on the bark he took a moment to scent mark his territory. This was their home now, he had to make sure others wouldn’t intrude without permission. If they did they would know that it belonged to someone. Taking a few calming breaths the young lion stretched and walked back to the small mound of dirt.

He would try again. There was no use in giving up, if you gave up you never made progress. Placing his forepaws next to the mound of dirt, the young lion dug deep inside himself looking for that well of magic. This time he found it and opened a small hole in the container of his magic. Slowly a gentle wave of Aristotle’s magic began to push into the ground. Gently it caressed the peach seeds that rested within the dirt. And slowly the pair of trees grew from the dirt. Growing tall the two trees formed a solid wall of sorts to bar anyone from entering this way.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

For a moment the lion stood awed by his own ability. He could bring life to otherwise dead earth. Stepping forward the lion rubbed his cheek on the trees, scent marking the edge of his home. He wanted to make sure that everyone knew that this dwelling belonged to him and his family. However small it currently may be.

Slowly the lion moved away from the trees and back to the last remaining plants waiting to be planted. Ever so gently the lion picked up the possibly toxic berries. He would plant these where no small child would get to them. The lion strode up the stairs and to one of the darker more foreboding corners of the up floor. Gently the lion dropped the berries in a small hole he dug. With a soft paw he gently covered the berries with dirt and set his paws beside the small mound of dirt. Closing his eyes he took a deep calming breath and reached inside himself, searching for that wellspring of power deep within his.

There he found it inside himself, gently he made an opening in what held back his magic. With it now free he cast it out and pushed it into the ground, and into the berries urging them to grow in the soil he had provided. Without much effort the lion urged six large plants grow into their full blooming selves.

With that done the lion wandered back down stairs and out his front door to go look for James.

EXIT ARISTOTLE