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Stats @2.7: 816
"Well, hello there, stranger. Do not be afraid of the spirits, for they are our friends. I have the answers you seek. Come with me, lion, and we shall discover the truth together."
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Josselly had little memory of her upbringing prior to being brought into Kivito's pride. She felt so out of place, so different from the other lions. She was painfully aware of what made her so different : her ability to commune with spiritual beings. She distanced herself from the rest of the pride because of it. Whispers of lions, cheetahs, leopards and other cats visited her in the darkness. They never said a word, but Josselly always had an innate feeling that they were trying to tell her something.
One night, a whisper in the form of a cub became the first spirit to speak to her. "Come," it said simply. Josselly was unsure of what to do. The misty forms of the whispers had never frightened her before, but this cub's voice instilled a certain fear that she felt down to her bones. Yet, a nagging feeling in her heart told her to ignore the fear and follow the cub. So she did.
She followed the whisper for what seemed to be hours. They ran past the grove of trees where she played with the other cubs every day. Past the water hole she visited to quench her thirst. Past the bushveld where the pride's lionesses had killed a zebra the day before. Finally, the cub lead her into a cove which housed a small pool, surrounded by tall, imposing rocks. A gentle, blue mist hung over the water, obscuring the other side of the pool, leaving some of the cove shrouded in mystery. The cub ran to the water's edge and spoke one last time, with excitement in its voice. "Come!" It exclaimed and vanished into the mist with a smile on its muzzle.
Josselly glanced at her surroundings. Any normal lion would have been scared senseless having been brought to a place like this by an otherworldly being. But Josselly felt no fear. In its place was a certain sense of belonging, a desire-
no, a stronger feeling, a need- to be here in this cove. There was no darkness here, only warmth. The blue mist gave off its own light, illuminating the surface of the water, appearing to dance playfully across the ripples on the pool's surface. Something, the pool, the water, or perhaps the mist, seemed to call to her, so Josselly approached the water's edge and looked down into the pool. Her own reflection stared back at her for just a moment, when suddenly the water began to move as if alive, columns of water rising up from the pool, weaving around each other with grace.
Figures of blue erupted from the columns of water, running through the air and leaving trails of mist behind them as they danced, perfectly synchronized with the moving water. The blue figures began to take on more distinct forms, transforming into the animals she saw every day on the savannah; Lions, elephants, giraffes and hundreds of other creatures, some she could not even begin to identify swirled above her, illuminating the night sky with their soft glows.
Josselly watched the animals dancing above her for so long that she eventually lost track of time. The sky had begun to light up as the sun came back to the savannah to greet a new day. As soon as the sun's rays began to peak above the horizon, the misty figures vanished into nothingness. Josselly sat down, disappointed, staring at the now empty dawn sky with a frown. Looking across the pool and around the rock walls would lead any lion to believe that this was an ordinary place, its secrets hidden from their view.
Even though the spirits had gone, Josselly still felt a warmth in this place. It pained her to leave, but she knew the pride would be worried about her if she did not return by sun up. She ran home as fast as her paws would take her, vowing to return to the cove as soon as she could.
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In fact, Josselly did return to that magical place, but she seldom returned alone. The pool in the cove became known as the Reflecting Pool and it quickly became a sacred place to the pride. Over many visits, Josselly learned how to harness the power of the whispers that appeared in the cove at dusk every day. She learned to speak with them, to summon them and use their powers to divine answers for her and her pride's problems. Josselly became the pride's seer, a title she was proud to own. Over time, she even developed the ability to speak with the Kings of the past. Kulpir and Kivito would visit her and their Queens often, providing guidance from their times as rulers. Pridemates and other lions from across the savannah came with her frequently to experience the wonders of the whispers for themselves. Although many of the lions were unable to fully see the spirits as Josselly was, the dancing blue mist was still a sight to behold for any lion.
Yet, as must as she enjoyed helping the pride, Josselly enjoyed her time alone in the cove more than anything else. This place was the only thing she had ever felt such a deep connection with. Every day, it called to her, and every day, she learned something new from the whispers of the spirits. Josselly may not have know where she had come from, but she knew what she was destined to do. She had finally found her calling, and it felt absolutely perfect.
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