𝓢𝓸𝓵𝓮𝓲𝓵's Den

The Beginning

Nestled within the cradle of Mother Nature's embrace, a breathtaking mountainous landscape unfurls, captivating the senses with its rugged beauty and awe-inspiring grandeur. As the sun ascends above the horizon, its golden rays illuminate the towering peaks, casting a warm, ethereal glow upon the rugged terrain. Majestic mountains, their jagged silhouettes etched against the canvas of the sky, soar towards the heavens with an air of stoic resilience. Veins of snow cling to their towering slopes, glistening like diamonds in the morning light, while cascading waterfalls tumble from lofty heights, tracing silver ribbons down sheer cliff faces. Cloaked in a tapestry of vibrant hues, the mountainside is adorned with a mosaic of alpine flora, each petal and leaf a testament to the tenacity of life in this harsh yet beautiful landscape. Wildflowers carpet the meadows in a riot of color, painting the scene with hues of crimson, azure, and gold, while evergreen forests cloak the lower slopes in a cloak of deep emerald. As the day unfolds, casting ever-changing shadows upon the landscape, the beauty of the mountainous area remains an eternal mark to the power and majesty of the natural world. For those fortunate enough to wander its rugged trails and breathe its crisp mountain air, it is a place of solace, inspiration, and untold wonder—a sanctuary for the soul amidst the grandeur of the wilderness.

High above, the crisp mountain air carries the haunting melody of songbirds, their sweet thrills mingling with the rustle of leaves and the distant rumble of thunder as clouds gather upon the horizon. Eagles soar on thermals, their majestic wings outstretched against the azure sky, while marmots playfully scurry among rocky outcrops, their playful chirps echoing through the valley below. Sweet, feminine laughs echoed through the areas, as if they wanted to escape the rocky cage of the snow kissed peaks. Squealing caused by heavy steps would resurface occasionally, a clear sign that the lands are still roamed and safe. Soleil, walking just a few footsteps behind her siblings, watched as the two younger ones would waltz together through the white dreamscape, leaning gently against each other, every move they made almost ending up with them slipping on one side into the coldness laying at their paws. They were awfully silly today, but their loud voices and happy chuckles would fill Soleil with a special sense of peace that only her sisters could provoke.

“It’s awfully icy, but let’s see the good part: we will no longer have to cry about missing water. We are surrounded by it everywhere!”

“Oh, c’mon, we’ve never had any issues regarding that! I doubt we will ever end up dehydrated. I am sure mamma and papa taught you better than that.”

The middle child snorted out in amusement at her sister’s teasing, a cloud of warm fog fading into the atmosphere. Then, with her paw, she suddenly tossed snow at her sibling who let out a loud shriek once it made contact with her fur. She jumped a few steps to the side and glared viciously, before tossing another round of snow herself towards her perpetrator. Standing still, Soleil snickered herself as the two started battling, tails arched into the air, fur soaked and messy. She shook her head, almost in disapproval, but continued her road. The weather was obviously getting chillier, the winds picking up every now and then, a clear sign that a snow storm might start any given moment. Despite their obvious resistance to all kinds of weather, as their primal genes could withstand almost anything, they did prefer warmer climates, just as the one they’ve been born into.

They do not originate from a specific pride. Their parents were two lovestruck mates, who rebelled against their own families which did not approve of their love and sense of adventures. When they reached adulthood, both ran away by themselves and became nomads. Every step they took was another sign of virtue, every land they’ve transverse became part of their story. They were happy and in love, and that is all that truly mattered. That was until their first and only litter was born. They had no idea that in the middle of an arid desert, in a hideout that was barely fitting the mother, she would give birth to three cubs during a lunar eclipse. Their father did tell them the story. A sandstorm was settling in, their mother finding shelter underground, the place fitting mostly her. Their father blocked the entrance with his massive body, his lower half peaking out into the storm, as he tried his best to aid his mate. They barely found any materials for a nest, as the lands did not hold any prosperous surprises to them, and greenery itself was scarce. Then, it happened: the skies darkened in such a way, that even the loudest birds hid, never to make a noise again, the moon leaking crimson hues, like it was bleeding to its end. The once golden dunes caught a red stained color, and nature froze in time. The delivery of the cubs was not harsh on the mother, but the stress of what was going on outside was. Their father refused to cause her more anxiety, and hid the burgundy, sandy hills from her. Once every cub was starting to feed and the sand storm ended, she finally saw the horror outside, a cry erupting out of her chest. Though, her father held hope and came to say hi to his little ones, a bright smile on his face, one that would warm up her mother’s soul.

Their childhood wasn’t easy, but not as bad as they'd expected. They were utterly loved by their family. They were taught masterfully all the surviving skills needed. They knew how to hunt even the biggest prey around, even hippos preferring to hide in the deeper waters so the primal family wouldn’t dare to come. They played, hunted, explored. No land was unfamiliar to them, no weather was too harsh. All that truly mattered is that they had each other. When they made their final decision, to leave together in an adventure, their family was expecting a second litter. Tears had fallen and warm hugs were given, but their family accepted their wish, knowing they had successfully raised three healthy lionesses, bearing the strengths of the gods.

“May your journey be kind to you and never believe in the words of outsiders. You only have each other.”

Their parting was bittersweet, but their family was right: together, there were no worries, no anxieties, no depressions. They conquered even the most dangerous lands through laughter, songs and good faith. This made Soleil believe that their lives could never be torn apart from each other.
Until then. The three siblings always listened to their parents’ words religiously. They never belonged to a specific pride, so no exact beliefs were hardened onto their minds, but there were a few honest warnings that they were told to always remember: never trust outsiders and never separate. The eclipse born were never considered ill fated into their small, loving family, but almost everyone around them still trusted those old beliefs. But who would have thought that their biggest crime was the crime of being young?

The winds were howling around them like crazed dire wolves, as their own marks into the snow would get covered as soon as they were made. Soleil led her sisters, as she was the tallest out of the two, to the side of a mountain peak, where the rocky walls could serve as shelter. Their senses were confused, as they could hardly pick up any scents. That was until they heard a call. Turning their heads around, behind the chilly fog, three male lions made their way slowly towards them, heads low, their manes almost completely white. Soleil should have listened to her gut and all her inner voices telling her this was no good sign. Who in their right minds would spend time here willingly, if not planning on transversing the mountains? The three were similar in size and age, young and strong just as them, crystal blue eyes shining behind heavy lidded lashes. The oldest spoke up, introducing themselves as also wanderers who left their homelands in order to start their own: bachelors. They belonged to a small pride, hidden into the deep tundras. Remembering the advice she got, Soleil remained unphased and clearly unimpressed, her mind trying to catch any sign of misinformation. Their clean, silver appearance proved to them that the three did, in fact, seem to come from the lonely tundras, hundreds of miles away from the peak. But one could easily hide from reality.

Her sisters were not as indifferent to their advances. They seemed open to socialise, longing for connection and maybe something more, something that the three always lacked: male company. The three were dangerously sweet with their words, inviting the sisters to join them in finding and building shelter, explaining that they can easily provide and teach them the ways of the cold. Soleil’s sisters gladly accepted, but Soleil remained unmoving into her place. Her siblings were surprised by her stubbornness, telling her that they indeed should know these lands better than anyone else. And yet, Soleil’s cold demeanour refused to change. Seeing that there is no way of convincing her sisters that something is not right, she knew she cannot cause a scene. They’ve never had fights in their lives and she would not want to be the one causing the first. She turned around, her back facing the group, telling them she will keep on moving and maybe they will reunite again at the foot of the mountain once the snow storm is over.

Soleil herself followed her own instincts: she climbed lower where she could find a few cracks into the walls, big enough to fit her. She gathered moss and anything else that seemed to be useful, then crawled in and fell asleep. That night, she never felt lonelier. Usually, during cold weathers, her sisters would be with her, grooming her beautiful pelt and snuggling like chicks, in an attempt of preserving heat. Her sleep was messy and rough, occasionally being woken up by the howling of the winds. She’d watch the moon as she tried to fall asleep again, but worry and anxiety would crawl into her soul, having an iron grip on her heart.

She didn’t remember how she woke up that morning, but when she did, the storm was over and everything changed into the same, crystal cold paradise they walked into previously. She stretched, her body slightly sore, but nothing she couldn’t handle. Scents filled the air, and her nose was struck with the deepest, metallic notes she ever felt: blood. It also did not seem to belong to any prey. Confused and deeply perturbed out of her mind, she started running and climbing the icy hills to the place where she knew her sisters were supposed to be settled, only for the horrid scent to get stronger. As she walked in, all that she met were frozen, lifeless bodies laying in pools of crystallized blood, a gut wrenching and terrifying view. Other than that, there was no more sign of life, as the three lions who were supposed to be their protectors vanished in pure air, just as sudden as they arrived. Soleil’s whole being was in pure shock, not being able to make a single sound. Her eyes were widened, her draconid eyes shaking with tears. A sob left out her chest as she slowly made her way to the corpses of the ones that shared her blood, her paw gently trying to nudge her youngest sister awake, but to no avail: what is done is done, and it shall remain like this until the very end. She crouched, a small prayer whispered into the winds, hoping that the gods will open their arms to welcome them in a sweeter afterlife, as they lost their lives early and innocently. Turning her head around before leaving, her eyes fell on an item carefully crafted, shining in the snow. The crystal reminded her or something: a shamanic pride necklace. A deep growl left her chest, as anger flooded her body, merging with the pain that was tormenting her soul.

Such a thing happened years and years ago and it was now too late. Eclipse-born were never spared by anyone. They were believed to be walking curses, to be omens of destruction and blood. And yet, what her father told her back when she was only 5 months old will remain engraved into her very being: eclipse-born are not harbingers of misfortune, but they are the misfortuned ones, all caused by the hatred of the world.

Weeks of exploration later, she finally found the perfect miracle lands, a peaceful and floral landscape hidden between the dense trees and protected by the same mountain where her sisters’ spirits reside, watching over her pride. Soleil promised to them that she will build a sanctuary for the bygones, chased away by their own families for their lunar lineage. She would bring protection and familiarity to souls who never felt the touch of kindness. And now, laying on a small creek, right above the lake, taking in the view of Jupiter playing in the water with Iris and Hesper, as Cyfrin and Lightbringer walk back from the forest bearing bundles of herbs, a sweet and warm feeling comes into her heart, similar to the warmth spread by Ember’s flames when she joins her sunbathing, laughter echoing through the woods.

Her sisters can rest assured, as she has successfully achieved their true dream.