Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The lion moved quietly through the humid jungle like cavern he had been born in. He was following a little worn path he had made himself in his own comings and goings. He was heading to a clearing he had found quite a bit ago that had a small stream running through it. He had to take his time to gather seeds from specific tall broad trunked trees. They were hard to find and he had settled on them early on in the planning, as they were much sturdier and longer lived than most other trees. He had also collected seeds from some of the thickest and sturdiest vines in Eridanus in order to use them as well in the making of the house. It would be a living, growing, feeling home.

Aristotle hummed to himself as he walked. The trek took some time as he had chosen a rather well hidden clearing in Eridanus to use as their new home. It had ample space for his garden and plenty of room for their treehouse. Finally he arrived at the clearing, he pushed through the dangling vines covering the entrance he had found. Here the grasses had been grazed low by the jungle deer. That had been what he had found the first time he had come here, had been two herds of deer grazing together. He sat watching them interact and feed together for sometime. The lion strode out into the clearing and across it to its northern side. This was where he had decided to make the house.

With a flick of his tail and not much thought on the matter, the lion set to work digging six medium sized holes. This didn’t take very much time as his large paws easily moved the dirt from the ground. Once he had marked out the six holes that would make the outer wall of the house the lion took the rabbit skin bag from around his neck and shook the ten tree seeds and at least twenty vine seeds out onto the ground. Aristotle gathered up the vine seeds and replaced them in the bag. He had gotten more seeds than he knew he would need just in case. .

Aristotle stepped back scrutinizing his work. The circle was good and evenly spaced so that was perfect. Now would be the hard part. Using his magic. The lion moved the rest of the seeds off to one side and sat his bag down next to them. The lion closed his eyes and focused on his magic. He could cast spells to have plants defend him now, but it was still better to focus on these spells. If he wasn’t careful growing them, there was a chance it wouldn’t work right.

The lion took a deep breath and slowly let it out as he centered himself. Aristotle kept his eyes open and on the ground. He needed to know how large the trees would grow with each use of his Flourish spell. The lion placed his front paws a short distance apart. Then the lion sent his magic out into the ground. He pushed his magic into the ground and into the seeds. The lion watched as the seeds slowly began to sprout from the ground in a circle. The magic used was only enough to get what would be an enormous tree once it was grown.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Aristotle smiled looking at the ring of saplings that now stood in the clearing. They were Adolescent and nowhere near their full maturity yet. The lion was still proud of what little progress he had made. However he would use as much of his magic as was needed in order to make this new home for his family. They were growing and soon there would be even more of them. As soon as he figured out how to give life to the stones he had found. He would love them all and they would be a part of his family. The thought of his family expanding to include more children made him smile and let out a soft pleased purr.

Standing there the lion walked around the perimeter of the sapling ring. They were perfect and it would be large enough for them all. Coming to stand back where he had lain his rabbit skin bag on the ground, the lion closed his eyes, took a deep breath. The lion centered himself digging in for his magic. He pulled it out of its well inside his gem, and pushed it out and into the ring of saplings. But it would seem this time his magic would not come.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Aristotle opened his eyes feeling that his magic had not come as he had wanted. The lion let out a frustrated growl looking at the saplings that had not grown an inch. He stood glaring at the sapling ring in frustration. Letting out a heavy sigh he walked a circle around the ring again, coming to a stop once he had reached the rabbit skin bag again.

The lion closed his eyes again and took a deep breath. Centering himself once more he released the breath through his mouth in a slow whoosh. Once more he reached deep inside himself and deep into his gem and tugged at the veil of his magic, this time it came spilling forth. It wasn’t as powerful as it could have been, but he managed to push his magic into the saplings and make them grow several more feet.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The lion opened his eyes to see that the circle of saplings had grown by several more feet. Now standing about eight foot tall with already thickening trunks. The lion let a pleased smile slip onto his muzzle as he looked at them. They were already beginning to make what appeared to be a closing wall.

The lion once more closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. He centered himself, digging deep for the wellspring of magic that his gem contained. He focused trying to break through the veil between him and his magic. However it would seem that his magic would not come. Rather instead the Saplings sprang back at him, lashing out with their roots to smack the lion square across the bridge of the nose leaving a bright red welt. However as soon as the plant’s aggravation with him came, they settled and retreated back into the ground. The only sign that he had been assaulted by the roots was a small mound of dirt about a foot in front of him, and the red welt under the short fur of his nose. Well that could have gone better.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

For a moment Aristotle stood staring at the little mound of disturbed earth a few feet in front of his paws. The saplings had just smacked him on the nose. His jaw hung open just a jar from the shock of being smack by roots. That had never happened before. The lion sneezed and shook his head for a moment in disbelief. He had just been assaulted by a plant! Who wouldn’t be confused by that! Lifting a paw forepaw he rubbed the bridge of his nose for a second to soothe the sting of where the roots had struck a line across his nose.

The lion shook his head one more time to clear himself of the disbelief. Closing his eyes the lion took a deep breath in through his nose, and slowly let it out through his mouth as he calmed and centered himself. Again the lion pressed at the veil between him and his magic. This time however his magic flowed from behind the veil. The lion pushed his magic from himself into the ground and into the saplings. The saplings growing to roughly sixteen feet tall their trunks slowly growing closer to form a circular wall.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

The lion yawned wide as his eyes fluttered open. This was morning six of his time in Eridanus. He had taken to staying here when he realized that the trees he had chosen to use would require every ounce of magic he had in him in order to grow them. It had taken him six days to make it as far as he did. Each use of his spell drained him nearly entirely. It was hard work, but he was determined.

The lion looked at the trees nearly grown now. However he still had the platforms and ramps to make so you could reach the interior platforms where they would sleep. That required thick heavy vines he had found deep in Eridanus. They were strong enough to hold a lot of weight, he had tested them. But he had also planned that there would be branches growing along the inside at intervals to help create the platforms. He couldn’t help but admire the work he had already done. Slowly the lion rose to his paws and stood up moving to the ring of trees with the single opening. The lion inhaled taking a deep breath. He would need to get started now if he was going to do this. The lion shook out his fur and gave a wave of his tail.

Aristotle took a deep breath and allowed his eyes to close for a moment. The lion reached deep into his own self, he tugged at the veil of his magic. The magic trickled out and came freely to him as he let it flow out and pushed it into the ring of trees. He willed the top branches to weave together and create a roof like they had in the building in Orion. Aristotle opened his eyes after casting the spell, to watch the branches aboved move and creek as they came to rest solidly against each other creating a tall but secure roof. He knew it would take more than one casting of this spell to achieve what he wanted.

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Aristotle smiled at his current work. It was going well today. Perhaps he might even finish by nightfall. The roof was now well in place and it still looked natural. The lion walked through the opening that was at the base of the trunk of the trees creating an open doorway. The lion trotted proudly inside the hollow ring of trees. It was spacious and had plenty of room on the main floor for anything they wanted. It would be a perfect place to make a nest for Abraxas and the other gems he had found. The lion let out a pleased purr before he closed his eyes and walked to a wall, it was dim and hard to see inside currently. He was going to fix that.

The lion inhaled deeply closing his eyes as he centered himself. As he tried to pull for his magic, something outside distracted him and his magic fizzled away. The spell failed. The lion let out an exasperated sigh. And looked around. It hadn’t worked and he had let himself get distracted by a sound and failed to use his magic.