Some of her earliest memories were of hearing the waves crashing against the rocks. Not the rumble of a mother. The coo of a voice. She knew the wrath of the skies and the power of the seas. Shunned by mortal lions, she had been left behind. Alone. Forsaken. Until the blurry world that created her when she first opened her eyes began to move as something lifted her and carried her away. To a small harbor where the water was shallow. Small fish darted to and fro while little crabs scuttled along the sand.
⛱︎Selene☀ had tried to play with the crabs, but as shaky legs began to lift her weight, she learned she could only move two of them. Her front legs were normal but when she looked behind her...what should have been her back legs were fused together. There was no running. No walking. Just slowly dragging herself along. But hunger and necessity were driving forces for the young cub and she followed a crab into the water and found that her back legs floated. Movement became easier and she could actually catch the little crabs as long as she was in the water!
Thus began her life between the world of lions and sirens. Using her front paws to propel herself through the water and pounce on her prey. Then she'd drag herself up to the rocks to eat and drink the rain water that collected there. It was a decent life...but it was a thriving one...and slowly it began to weigh on her. Her back and hips began to carry the toll of behind dragged whenever she was on land and she wasn't getting enough fresh water to counter the salt she was consuming. Movements began to slow and one day...she didn't have the strength to enter the water again. Once more the world began to grow blurry. Once more it began to move...
When ⛱︎Selene☀ awoke, she was resting on the softest sand she had ever felt while waves that shimmered with starlight lapped the shore beside her. Fresh fish and water were set beside her and at he back giving her warmth she couldn't remember feeling was a lioness as bright and shining as the stars with eyes filled with love. Kaguya leaned down, carefully grooming her fur as the young cub began to eat and drink. The Celestial queen then spoke softly, words the little one could not understand and her body began to feel...different. The muscle around her back legs shifted and grew and what was once paws became a fin as bright red as her fur. Gills formed on her neck as scales joined her fur and the pain...the pain was gone!
⛱︎Selene☀ looked up at Kaguya in such shock and awe that the queen chuckled warmly and explained. For her stength and will to live, she was granted a gift. She was no longer a lion, but a Siren. As one with the shore as she was the water. No longer was she bound to the shoreline. She now had the strength and fins to swim and play like the mortal cubs could. She had been brought to her own private lagoon where she would never run out of food. Storms would never harm her. She was safe and loved. Kaguya herself promised to come and play with her and true to her word, she lifted the little one and carried her into the water, lowering her as gentle as if it was her own child.
The evening was spent helping ⛱︎Selene☀ learn how to swim with her new fin. Teaching her how to hunt the fish around her. Then, when the cub wasn't looking, Kaguya splashed her and took off along the shoreline, laughing bright and lively. ⛱︎Selene☀ darted off through the water after her, using her tail to splash the queen in return and then taking off herself. Back and forth they raced, star-flecked water flying into the sky as young, innocent laughter rang out into the night. As morning came and Kaguya had to return to her duties, ⛱︎Selene☀ darted after and her paws wrapped around her leg. The softest thank you could be heard as the queen lowered her muzzle to kiss her head. And whispered the gentle promise to return.
(Lore by #416498)
(Obtained 7/1/2023) NFS
Heritage
